


The Royal Romance – Shut Up and Dance

by FictionAngyl



Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Romance, Apples, Betrayal, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Dancing, Developing Friendships, Epic Friendship, F/M, Gossip, New York City, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:28:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 232,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionAngyl/pseuds/FictionAngyl
Summary: "So I know everyone thinks I’m a pretty popular guy. But I’ve never had any close friends. Some people say I’m kind of a screw-up. And… they’re usually right… Then I met Riley…" --Maxwell BeaumontThe Royal Romance, with Maxwell as the eventual love interest.---------*Plot mostly follows the TRR canon timeline, with a couple detours and more added scenes/dialogue. Most characters and a lot of dialogue are owned by PixelBerry.*Added characters by me: Grace, Carl, Adam, Brandy, Sadie, Kyle, Tanner... Even Daniel is no longer just the cameo PB character of "Daniel the Waiter"... he's a full on character in this ficverse, so I'll take partial ownership of his personality! ;)***Select the subscribe button, and/or follow my Instagram @fictionangyl to get notified of chapter updates! As a bonus on Instagram, you'll be treated to many lovely Maxwell images! 💖💖💖 Due to school starting back up, updates will be posted as much as I am able. Thank you for reading! :)***
Relationships: Liam Rys & Main Character (The Royal Romance), Liam/Main Character (The Royal Romance), Maxwell Beaumont & Main Character (The Royal Romance), Maxwell Beaumont - Relationship, Maxwell Beaumont/Main Character (The Royal Romance)
Comments: 149
Kudos: 46





	1. Prologue / Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Liam has also been renamed as "Aidan" in this series, as when I first started going through these books, I had used that name throughout all my walkthroughs. The name stuck. :)

** Prologue: Looking Back **

_So I know everyone thinks I’m a pretty popular guy. But I’ve never had any close friends. Some people say I’m kind of a screw-up. And… they’re usually right… Then I met Riley…_

“ _Mistakes. That was my legacy. Or really, it could have easily been my middle name, the way my life was going. Good ole Maxwell Mistakes Beaumont, that lovable screwup, the one-night-stander, the king of parties, without a care in the world except for winning that next dance-off. That was the most anyone had ever gotten to know of me, whether it was my doing or their’s, who knows… but I guess no one ever really wanted to ask the deep questions, and I never volunteered much information. It kept my life unpredictable and fun, but at the same time, safe… and I guess it was a bit lonely when I had time to think about things. Who knew my whole world would get turned upside-down over a random meeting in New York…_ ”

Maxwell paused in his journal, staring at the paper as he allowed memories of the past several months to flash through his mind. It was like a multi-cinematic show playing on fast-forward as the imagery raced through his head, clearing up as his gaze moved down to his left hand, where it would soon be donning a ring. His _wedding_ ring. He was going to be _married_. To the most incredible woman he had ever laid eyes on… and she chose _him_! He still could hardly believe this was all real.

This was it. Tomorrow was the big day. Nerves began their dance again throughout his body, and he slowed his breathing to try calming down. _Everything’s going to be fine. You love her. She loves you. Get it together, Beaumont._ He closed his journal, packed it away in his bag, and made his way to the balcony outside his bedroom. He placed both hands on the railing to steady himself, breathing in and out… in and out… in and out…

Finally, he stared up at the sky, admiring the blanket of stars that had come out. The view of Cordonia that spread before him was a beautiful canvas of twinkling lights from homes and the quiet ocean beyond them. Everything out there appeared so peaceful… and here he was, a quiet storm of nerves building within. To everyone else, he was perfectly cool-headed. He was ready for anything. He did not have a worry in the world. No one knew just how scared he really was. “God…” he choked out in a whispered tone, his hands tightening on the railing. “Please… don’t let me fail at this.”

His mind wandered back to the night they met… the day his life changed forever…

* * *

** Chapter 1: The Bachelor Party **

_New York City… Once upon a time…_

“Awwww yeahhhhhhh, this last night’s going to be epic!” Maxwell began dance-walking down the street, as his friends trailed behind him. “I’ve googled some of the hottest clubs in New York, and at least ten of them are near our hotel!” He winked at a couple of women who passed them by, smiling at him. “Hey ladies…”

Drake rolled his eyes as he pulled him back. “Maxwell, this is Aidan’s night. We’re doing whatever _he_ wants, remember?”

“Well, yeah, I just thought…”

“Aidan’s choice.”

“It’s fine, Drake,” Aidan said, shrugging his shoulders. “We can go to a club. As long as everyone has a good time, I’m game for anything.”

Drake gave him a look. _Seriously, Aidan?_

“Let’s just find a place to have some dinner first, and we’ll let Maxwell find us a good club,” Aidan continued, closing the matter.

“What about a good steakhouse or that seafood palace we saw on the way back to the hotel the other day?” Tariq suggested.

“Oooh, let me see what Google turns up!” Maxwell said, pulling out his phone.

Aidan frowned. “…I’d… really like to keep a low profile for dinner tonight… It’d be nice to eat at least one meal in peace on this trip.”

“Oookay… hot dog cart, it is!”

“Maybe not that bad,” Aidan laughed.

“There’s plenty of dive bars in the city,” Drake interjected. “Let’s just look around and find one that looks empty enough to enjoy a quiet meal in.”

“…Dive bar?” Tariq raised an eyebrow.

“You’ll love it, Tariq. Just shut up and keep walking.” Drake shook his head.

The group walked for several blocks, finding many different places, most of them filled to the doors with customers. Finally, they came across a small bar and grill with the name Spicy Apple Bar/Grill.

“It has ‘apple’ in the name. It’s a sign!” Maxwell said, raising his arms and spreading them wide.

**_“My god… how little did I know how right I was at that moment…_ ** **”**

“Enough with the dramatics, Maxwell,” Drake said, taking a brief look inside. “Looks empty enough. Let’s eat.”

“…That’s not an indication about the food or service, you think?” Tariq asked, hesitating.

Drake pushed him forward. “Just get in there, Tariq. We’re starving.”

“Be right with you guys. I have to take this,” Aidan said, waving his phone.

The place appeared quiet and empty, minus a single patron sitting at a table enjoying some coffee. Maxwell, Drake, and Tariq looked at each other.

“Soooo…” Tariq looked around. “Now what?”

Drake opened his mouth to answer when a short man with a scowling face popped out of what appeared to be the kitchen door. His expression immediately transitioned into a sleazy grin as he clapped his hands together in a greeting. “Welcome, gentlemen. Let me get you a table.”

Maxwell grinned. “Yes! Get us the best you got. We’re here for our friend’s bachelor party.”

The man nodded. “Of course! I’ll have my staff help you immediately!” He dashed back into the kitchen before they could say anything.

“I guess it’s too difficult for him to seat us himself?” Drake commented in his usual sarcasm.

“Great place you guys picked,” Tariq muttered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The lid to the dumpster slammed shut, forcing a whiff of putrid smelling waste into the night air. “Ugh…” Riley used her arm to brush the small wisps of hair that escaped her hair clip out of her face. “Just another glamorous New York Saturday night of hauling trash to the dumpster…”

Her coworker and partner-in-crime, Daniel, chuckled as he lifted another bag towards the dumpster. “Hey, it could be worse. There could be—” Suddenly, his voice squealed at an uncharacteristically high-pitched octave. “Ohmygod! Rats! Riley, help!” He dropped the bag and practically ran behind her for cover.

“Seriously?!” Riley giggled as she walked away from his cowering form, looking down at the momma mouse with her five little babies eating a piece of sponge cake that had fallen out of the garbage. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of this adorable little mouse family. They’re just trying to get by, just like us…” She smiled as she pulled out a small package of soup crackers from her apron and tossed them towards the little family.

A sneering face appeared in the back doorway to the restaurant. “Hey! Riley, Daniel, quit slacking off over there!”

Riley narrowed her eyes in exasperation. “Rick… you _told_ us to take out the garbage!”

Rick clapped his hands and pointed inside. “And now I’m _telling_ you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in. Chop chop!” He marched back into the kitchen.

Riley and Daniel shared a look. _No problem, Dick!_ It was their favorite nickname for him, which they would never say to his face… on purpose! Dear old manager Rick. The bane of their existence in the wonderful world of the Spicy Apple. Daniel was only younger than her by less than a year, and they had been best friends since they had met in the same foster group many years before. The previous owner of Spicy Apple had a practice of hiring people from their home so kids could gain work experience, but in his last remaining years, he had grown particularly fond of many of his staff members, creating permanent positions on his team so they could stay on board as long as they would stay. Unfortunately, in the last year he had decided to sell, mercifully, and the bar was sold to Rick. And though Rick had kept the original staff on— _out of the ‘goodness’ of his heart_ , as he claimed it—he had been nothing but a mouth that simply barked orders. He never even bothered to pick up a rag unless he absolutely had to.

As they made their way inside from the kitchen to survey the party, a well-dressed male from the group immediately spoke up upon spying Riley. “Waitress, there you are. We need your best table!”

Riley sized him up as she put on her best customer service smile. _Oh boy, we got a special one here._

Another one from the group spoke up, dressed down in denim and casual clothing. He waved off the other gentleman, dismissing him. “Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it.”

_Lots of whiskey. This is going to be an interesting party._

Daniel turned to her with his best pleading look, and she already heard the request before he even spoke. _Here we go…_

“Riley, _please_ can you take this one? I’ve got a date tonight, and I’ll never make it out of here in time…”

“You really want me to take on the whole bachelor party by myself?”

“Well… they’re not bad to look at, right?” He grinned mischievously.

“Daniel!” she hissed through clenched teeth.

Daniel’s smile just grew bigger. “I knew you were checking them out. I want to hear all about this tomorrow, and I expect you to get at least one phone number by the end of the night!”

“Yeah, yeah, just go on your date, and live happily ever after for the both of us.” She shoved him playfully. Daniel’s dating life was on and off. Every other person was definitely “the one”, he would claim—although the poor guy never kept a relationship for more than a few weeks. Still, that never kept him from sharing some very elaborate tales of love and angst with the crew.

“You’re the best!”

The door to the kitchen flew back open, and Rick stood there, fuming. “Are you two _still_ talking? I’ve seated them already. Now get over there before I dock your pay!”

Daniel turned to Riley so only she could see, and he rolled his eyes. “Good luck.” He headed off towards the front of the restaurant to leave. He turned and held his hand his ear like a telephone. “Remember,” he mouthed, winking at her.

She shook her head and finally headed over to the table where the small group of guys sat, talking. “Hello, gentlemen. My name is Riley, and I’ll be taking care of you this evening.”

“Waitress, steaks for the table!” the third one finally piped up.

Riley looked over at him quietly, a twinkle of amusement in her eye.

Maxwell was silently grateful for the dim lighting in the bar, so no one could see the slight blush creeping up his neck at his fumble. _Riley. She just said her name was Riley._

Of course, his embarrassment was short-lived as Tariq jumped in with, “How about some filet mignon, medium rare and prepared with a béarnaise sauce?”

Maxwell could swear the amusement in her eyes grew even bigger, but the smile on her face did not falter. “Well, the closest thing we have to filet mignon is the deluxe burger.”

Tariq had no tact when it came to masking disappointment. “Dare I ask for your wine list?” His tone was almost passive-aggressive, and even Drake turned his head in his direction, his eyes expressing warning.

Riley didn’t seem fazed. In fact, she met him head on. “We’ve got an _excellent_ vintage house red…” She waved her hand with flourish at the wine bottles hanging over the bar.

Maxwell didn’t miss the twinkle of mischief in her eyes. _She’s good._

“ _House red_?” Tariq appeared horrified.

Riley shrugged. “If that’s not to your liking, it also comes in white.”

Maxwell had to hide his laugh behind a cough. _Good god. She’s funny as hell!_ And sure, she had the faint smell of a dumpster lingering on her clothes, but she was not bad to look at either, even in that ill-fitting waitress uniform.

Drake shook his head and decided to end it before Tariq embarrassed them any further. “We’ll be fine with a bottle of whiskey… and four deluxe burgers.”

Riley glanced his way and gave a look of confusion. “I’m sorry… four?”

Drake nodded his head towards the front of the restaurant, and Riley suddenly felt the presence of someone standing right behind her. She slowly turned and her gaze turned up to face a pair of piercing blue eyes attached to a face with a warm smile. _Whoa. He’s really cute!_

Aidan unconsciously ran a hand through his golden hair, as he stared down at her. Even in a waitress uniform, he couldn’t help noticing how beautiful she was. “Sorry I’m late. Thank for your patience, Miss…?”

“Uh, Riley.” She couldn’t stop staring. _Okay, Riley. Look away. Pull yourself together._

Aidan smiled brightly and held his hand out to her. “Charmed to make your acquaintance, Riley. I’m Aidan.”

_Ugh… don’t smile like that! Daniel, I can hear you laughing at me already…_ She smiled in return and shook his hand. “Trust me… the pleasure’s all mine. It’s nice to meet you, Aidan. Now let me go put your order in. Be right back!” She rushed back to the kitchen, thankful for the escape.

Maxwell and Drake shared a knowing look. _And another one bites the dust._ Maxwell shook his head in amusement. No matter where they went, Aidan was always turning heads. All he had to do was flash that princely smile of his and the girls were gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Problem, Riley?”

Riley took a second to realize she had still her back to the kitchen door, trying to shake off the momentary thrill she felt out there. She looked up to find Carl leaning against the stove, his tattooed arms crossed as his eyes observed her every movement. There were times it was one of his more annoying qualities, but it was unavoidable. The two of them had practically grown up together, and then once he was old enough, he had signed on to join the Navy SEALs. Having done three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan before finally discharging, it was safe to say nothing got past him. It was like having a very overprotective brother nearby. As a bonus, he scared the crap out of Rick whenever he caught him giving her and Daniel a hard time. All that said, this was really not the best time for him to notice her hiding out.

_Ugh, dammit…_ “Sorry, Carl,” she said, shaking her head as she handed the food order to his waiting hand.

He took the paper but didn’t make a move to start cooking yet. “Not like you to be off your game. Everything good? Any of those guys out there giving you a hard time?” He crossed his arms again and glowered out the small window where orders were normally handed out.

She laughed. “I’m fine, Carl. Just getting to the end of shift.” She looked around the kitchen. “Where did Di… I mean Rick go?”

He snorted. “He’s already gone home for the night, thank god. We can work in peace now.” He eyed the four men sitting at the table, noticing as one of them continued to sneak looks over toward the kitchen. “You know… I think you caught someone’s attention,” he said with an amused smirk.

“Please, Carl…” She rolled her eyes.

“Have you brought them their drinks yet?”

“Oh shit.” She immediately headed for the bottle storage.

“Such foul language, baby sis. Better not let them hear you.” He was clearly enjoying this. “Especially him…” He nodded in the direction of the man still glancing toward the kitchen.

“I’m obviously taking too long for their drinks. I better get out there before it cuts into my tip tonight.” She grabbed a towel and threw it at him.

“Heh.” He caught it and set it on the counter. “That’s probably all it is. I’ll let you get to it.” He turned his back and started to work on the burgers.

She quickly found a new bottle of whiskey along with four clean glasses and walked back out to their table. The man who had requested it took a look at the bottle and nodded in approval, then began pouring the shots. She started to head back to the kitchen.

“Hey wait up! Want to have a shot with us?”

“Maxwell, she’s working!” Drake groaned. “You want to get her fired?”

Riley smiled at the sheepish look on Maxwell’s face. “Thanks anyway.”

“Since she cannot drink, let’s at least toast to her wonderful service,” Aidan smiled, as he lifted his shot glass in her direction.

“Cheers!” Maxwell and Tariq cheerfully lifted their glasses in unison.

Drake slowly lifted his last. “Yeah… Cheers…” He eyed Aidan curiously.

She wasn’t sure what to do. It wasn’t every day her customers decided to toast to her, especially when all she did was serve them a bottle of alcohol. She resumed with her normal customer service smile. “Thank you. I’ll, uh… go check on your meal.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well… that was interesting.”

“Shut up, Carl.” She narrowed her eyes at his remark as she walked back into the kitchen.

His grin was as wide as the Cheshire cat’s. “You’ve got a group of men out there that are all into you on some level. I can tell. Question is… are you going to do something about it?”

“Now you’re sounding like Daniel.”

“He might have texted me…”

“Remind me to put laxatives in his protein shake next time I get the chance.”

Carl burst out into a loud laugh that filled the kitchen. “Oh Riley, you know we all love you. We’re all hoping you find that special someone that makes you happy… so sue us if we like to… _encourage_ you once in a while…” He smiled as he handed her a platter of four fresh burgers with mountains of fries next to each one. “Now go give them more _wonderful service!_ ” He choked back a laugh at his own joke.

She took the tray and playfully kicked his leg. “Screw you.” She shook her head, carefully returned her facial expression back to her professional smile, and then pushed the kitchen door open. She brought the burgers over to the waiting table.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that evening, a little after the bar had closed, the bachelor party was finally wrapping up. Riley was wiping down the bar counter when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Aidan standing behind her.

“I think we’re about ready to head out. I just wanted to thank you… and apologize. I know we kept you late, and my friends can be… demanding.” He offered her an apologetic smile.

Riley stood there, floored for a moment that anyone would care so much about how much work she had to put up with. She just smiled and put her hand up. “Demanding? Nothing I couldn’t handle. Trust me, I’ve seen it all.”

Aidan chuckled. “I got the feeling that you could take care of yourself.” He paused, considering his next words. “If you don’t have any other plans tonight, maybe I can make it up to you by buying you a drink. We’re about to go to a club.”

“Oh? Which one?”

“We were hoping you might have some advice about that. We’re not from around here.”

Riley thought for a moment, then looked back up at him. “Then I recommend going to the hottest club in town, Kismet. I’m sure you’ll have a great time there.”

Aidan smiled down at her. “That sounds perfect. I know the guys want to go crazy tonight! Lead the way!”

“Sure! Let me finish up here, and I’ll meet you out front…” She held up her cleaning rag, indicating her need to finish up closing duties.

“Of course. We’ll see you shortly.” He walked out of the restaurant to meet his friends.

“So where to now, Aidan?” Drake leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

“Hold on. Our tour guide will be with us shortly.”

“Tour guide?” Drake narrowed his eyes. “Since when do we need a tour guide?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley quickly wiped down the last of the tables and brought the group’s dishes to the kitchen to wash. Carl had his back to her as he wiped down the stove.

“So… hot date tonight?”

Riley set the dishes down with a loud bang. “Really?”

He turned around, with an eyebrow raised, a smile flanking the corners of his mouth. “Uh huh… tall, blonde, and handsome just offered to take you out to a club for a drink. I know where this is going!”

“Yep! Club. Drink. And that’s it!”

“You’re going to fight me to the death on this, aren’t you?”

“Only if you keep the conversation going.”

He smirked. “Fine. I’ll just gloat when you come in tomorrow with news of a new man in your life.” He laughed and ducked as she threw a dirty spoon at him. “Hey, I’ll finish up those dishes and close up the place. You go ahead and take off. Don’t keep ‘em waiting.”

“Well… it’s the least you can do.” She fought smiling through her sarcasm.

She headed to the back room to change, catching a glance of herself in the breakroom mirror. _I am_ so _ready to get out of this uniform!_ She opened her locker and pulled out a strapless emerald green dress she kept on hand for emergencies. She quickly changed into it and looked in the mirror again. _Perfect_. She spritzed on some perfume, fixed her hair, and grabbed her purse.

As she began making her way toward the exit, she saw Carl standing at the kitchen door, arms crossed as he gave a slight nod towards her dress. “Just a drink. Right.” He reached into his pocket. “Hey, don’t forget one of these.” He winked, extending his hand and opening it to reveal a condom.

“Carl!”

“Hey, I’ve seen this play out way too many times, and I’m not _trying_ to antagonize you, believe it or not. I’m a guy. I want it just like any other guy wants it. And odds are…” His expression grew pensive as he looked from her to the front entrance and back to her. “…you could be heading back to someone’s hotel room tonight.”

“I don’t think so.” She pushed his hand back.

“Uh huh. And just earlier, you didn’t think you’d be going out with them tonight either.” He offered it to her again. “I’m not saying do it. I’m just saying… if it _should_ happen… be safe. Again, we all love you here.”

“Even Dick?”

“He doesn’t count.”

She rolled her eyes and stuffed the condom in the far depths of her clutch purse. “Thanks, Carl.” She hugged him tight. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Be safe, baby sis. I don’t want to have to hunt these guys down.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now go have fun.”

“Yeah, yeah…” She rolled her eyes, heading out the door. She stepped out to find the group talking amongst themselves as they waited for her. “Hey guys.”

Drake turned and his jaw nearly dropped as he saw her transformation. “Wow.”

“Wow?” Riley smiled in amusement.

“I… almost didn’t recognize you.” His eyes roamed her figure up and down before he quickly looked away.

Tariq grinned approvingly. “That uniform wasn’t doing you justice.”

“Yeah, the waitress is _hot_!”

Riley turned to see Maxwell smiling appreciatively at her. His gaze lingered on her figure before his eyes met hers, and they stared at each other for a brief moment, smiling.

The moment was interrupted by Aidan clearing his throat, as he narrowed his eyes on Maxwell. “Ahem. Her name is Riley, and I doubt she appreciates you talking about her like that.”

_Down, boy._

Maxwell shrugged and gave an apologetic smile. “Right. Sorry, Riley. I meant to say, you look lovely…” He began dancing in place. “Now let’s get this party going!”

_Got it. He’s the fun one._

“So, she’s our tour guide now?” Riley didn’t miss the annoyed look in Drake’s eyes.

_And he’s the rude one._

“Riley was kind enough to agree to show us around. She’s doing us a favor, so play nice.” Aidan smiled, as Drake stared back warily.

“This way!” Riley said, as she led the group down the street.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Several blocks later, they arrived at Kismet, with music blaring out into the streets and a huge line wrapping around the building.

“Awesommmmme!” Maxwell shouted.

“Sure, but look at the wait…” Drake stared at the giant line.

Riley just smiled. “Come with me.” She walked up to the bouncer. “Hey George.”

“Riley! It’s about time! Who’re your friends?”

“Got me a bachelor party here. Of course, I had to bring them to the best club in New York!”

He smiled and handed her a pass. “VIP seating is all yours tonight! Have fun.” He removed the rope and allowed them entry.

They entered the club, surrounded by the beat of blaring music, and the guys immediately headed to the dance floor.

“Yesssss! Time to party!” Maxwell yelled, dance-walking the entire way.

“No one wants to see your running man, Maxwell,” Drake groaned, shoving him lightly.

“You don’t know that!”

Tariq looked around for the nearest server and shouted out, “You there! Who do we talk to for bottle service?” as he chased after them.

Aidan stood next to Riley, observing everyone on the dance floor. Riley looked up at him. “…Did you want to dance?”

He looked down at her and then back out at the dance floor. “…I’m… not familiar with this… what dance is this?”

“It’s just… dancing.” Her expression showed a mixture of confusion and amusement. “Is there any other kind?”

“Well, yes, there’s…” He paused, considering his words again, not wanting to give too much away. “I guess, not really. I’m just not… good with this kind?”

She smiled at his awkwardness and took his arm. “Come on, Aidan. Let’s go sit down.”

He smiled back gratefully and put his hand over hers as she led him over to the VIP booth. “Thank you for bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already.”

Riley watched his eyes flick back and forth from his friends to the dance floor to her. “Hmm… I bet you’re used to putting everyone first.”

And now she caught his full attention. “And why would you say that?” His deep blue eyes bore into hers.

She didn’t flinch. “I can tell. I’m good at reading people… I mean, as soon as we get here, your first thought is that your friends are having fun… not whether or not _you_ are.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now, forget about your friends. What about _you_? Do you like it here?”

Aidan stared at her quietly for a moment. “What I’m enjoying most is the company,” he finally replied.

“This place is hoppin’!” a voice rang out, interrupting their conversation. They turned to see Maxwell dancing his way to the table. “Why aren’t you guys out there? Come on!”

Riley turned to Aidan and smiled. “I’ll do a round with him and get back with you. You okay here by yourself?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

She jumped up from the table. “Let’s go, Maxwell!”

Maxwell grinned. “You want to dance with _me_? I hope you’re ready, because I am the dance _master_!” He began moonwalking as if prove his point, never breaking his gaze from her.

“Hmph… you mean you _were_.” She smirked.

He froze for a moment. “Did you just _challenge_ me?”

“What are you gonna do about it?”

“Oh, it’s on!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the middle of the dance floor. As soon as he cleared a small space for the two of them, he immediately began a series of breakdancing moves, catching the attention of the people around them. Everyone immediately began clapping to the beat and cheering him on. He ended it as he slid his body across the floor to meet Riley and his eyes met hers in challenge. “You’re up!”

She winked and began her own series of breakdancing moves, adding in spins and flips, and swiveling her body sensually to the beat, bringing in whoops and louder cheers from the crowd. She was fully aware of Maxwell’s uninterrupted gaze, and strangely enough, it excited her. Instead of finishing off her series, she grabbed his hand and pulled him in her direction.

“What the…” His eyes widened.

“Shut up and dance,” she interrupted, whispering against his ear, as their two bodies came crashing together in dancing harmony. They began dancing salsa style across the floor, as the cheers from the crowd continued.

“These two are on _fire_!” the DJ called out over the music.

As Riley turned around and pressed her back tight against him, Maxwell’s breath hitched. He kept his hands at her waist, mentally willing himself not to move them any lower. It was literally taking all of his willpower to do nothing but just dance. He swallowed awkwardly, his heart rate skyrocketing as she rubbed against him in another move. Yep, definitely making things hard. In more ways than one.

Mercifully, she turned back around, and they continued their dance across the floor. As the music ended, Maxwell took her in his arms and dipped her back to finish the dance, their faces inches apart from each other. They both stared into each other’s eyes momentarily as the crowd erupted into further cheers around them.

Maxwell carefully lifted her back up, grinning at her. “Well played, Riley.”

“Thanks for the dance, Maxwell. Better luck beating me next time,” she laughed, taking his face in her hands and pressing a kiss to his cheek. She glanced back at him before disappearing into the crowd to head back towards the table.

Maxwell stayed where he was, watching after her, slowly bringing a hand to his cheek where she had kissed him. He smiled softly. _Wow._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aidan smiled as she returned to the table. “Sounds like you two worked up quite the crowd.”

She laughed, still catching her breath. “What can I say? New York’s Dancing Queen meets the Dance Master from…” She waved her hand in question. “…wherever it is you guys came from.”

Aidan motioned to the server standing nearby. “Well… I do believe I owe you a drink… So, what’ll the lady have?”

Riley perused the small drink menu at the table. “I’m thinking a cherry Italian soda sounds good right about now.”

Aidan nodded to the server, who returned shortly with their drinks. He handed her her drink and then raised his own glass to her, his eyes crinkling with nostalgia. “A cherry Italian soda? I haven’t had one of these since I was a kid…”

“Clearly you’ve been missing out!”

“It’s a good thing I ran into you then.”

They both smiled as they took a drink together.

Riley raised her glass. “Thanks. I guess this makes us even.”

“Hmm… you’re right.” He held his glass to his lips, not yet taking a drink, just watching her. “Now I’ll have to find some other excuse to get you to stay.”

Riley laughed softly. “An excuse for me to stay? You don’t need an excuse. Turns out… I’m having fun.”

Aidan’s face brightened. “I’m very happy to hear that.”

She smiled, and then looked at him intently. “You know… there’s something different about you, Aidan.”

“Oh?”

“You’re a perfect gentleman. You’re not like any of the other guys I’ve met in New York… And you’re certainly better behaved than most tourists. Where are you from, again?”

He suddenly felt nervous, but forced himself to remain composed. “Does it matter? We’re here together, right now… I don’t want to think about the past or the future. I just want to be here with you.”

“That sounds like you’re avoiding my question.” She narrowed her eyes. If there was anything she hated more, it was deception and games.

He swallowed back his uneasiness. “I’ve already told you far more than I intended to. More than I should have. I’m usually able to keep my distance from people.”

She started to move back, unsure of whether or not she wanted to stay. “And yet you won’t answer all of my questions…”

He grabbed her hand in a silent plea to stay, his eyes serious and regretful. “Where I come from has always defined me. But it doesn’t with you. I don’t want that to end… even if we both know that’s impossible.”

She relaxed, still curious, but deciding to let it go. “Impossible? Nothing’s impossible.”

He gave a small laugh, shaking his head before looking back down at her. “When you say it like that, I almost believe it, Riley.”

She patted his hand, smiling as they stared in companionable silence for a moment. _Time to steer the conversation elsewhere… I obviously struck a nerve earlier…_ “So, is the New York nightlife living up to your expectations?”

He took another sip of his drink, scanning the dance floor again before looking back at her. “It’s nice… but honestly? I have to say… hanging out with you is the most fun I’ve had this entire vacation.”

“Oh… that’s sweet.” Riley set her drink down and studied his expression. “I guess that means you haven’t really been enjoying yourself very much.”

“It’s been wonderful, but there’s something missing. I really wanted to do one thing in particular while I was here…” He smiled half-heartedly.

“And what’s that?”

“It’s… well…” He looked almost embarrassed to admit it, but he continued. “…you’re probably going to think it’s silly, but I’ve always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty… It wasn’t really in the guys’ plan, so we just never got around to it.” He looked out at the dance floor again and sighed. “And now it’s my last day here…” He smiled ruefully at her. “I don’t mean to sound so ungrateful. It was thoughtful of my friends to throw me this bachelor party. They’ve done their best, but I’m not in the mood to celebrate.” He looked down into his drink.

Riley looked at him, unsure of how to react. “Wait a second, it’s YOUR bachelor party? You’re pretty flirty for an engaged guy. I don’t think your fiancée would be too happy about that.” _Great… is some psycho bitch going to come out of nowhere and murder me for hanging around her cute fiancée?_

He almost wanted to laugh at the expression on her face, even though she had no idea what his situation was. He really hadn’t meant to give out as much information as he already had, but now the door had been opened. Riley seemed like such an easy person to talk to—perhaps that was why he felt so comfortable telling her these things. “That’s the funny thing. I actually don’t know who I’m going to marry yet… only that I’ll have to pick my fiancée by the end of the season.”

_What the hell…_ “What’s that supposed to mean?” _Having a bachelor party before you even met the person you’re going to marry? How the hell does_ that _happen?_ She just stared at him in confusion.

He looked at her, his eyes filling with sadness. “I… I can’t…” He looked down.

She moved closer to him, putting her hand over his. “What is it, Aidan?” she asked. “I want to know. What’s going on?”

There was no way around it. He either needed to tell her the truth or just find a way to politely end the night. He took a deep breath, hoping the conversation wouldn’t take a downward path. “The truth is, Riley…” He paused as she leaned forward slightly, her eyes never leaving his, waiting in anticipation for what he was about to reveal. _Just tell her, Aidan. Get it over with._ “I’m the Crown Prince of Cordonia.”

_All right then._ “You’re a prince?” She closed her eyes and put her head down for a moment. Then she opened her eyes and looked back up at him. “Hmm… how about that!” She tilted her head one way, then tilted it in the opposite direction, looking at him from different angles.

“…How about what?” He raised an eyebrow, bewildered by her reaction.

She threw her hands up, acting shocked. “Nothing changed. I’m still looking at Aidan.” Her lips curved into a thoughtful smile as she continued. “Yes. This doesn’t change anything. I don’t care what your title is. You’re still the same guy I met earlier this evening… Caring, thoughtful… I’ve seen a lot of customers come and go, but I’ve never seen any guy at his own bachelor party be concerned about whether the waitress was having a good night.”

He stared at her in surprise. He hadn’t expected this at all. “You don’t know how rare it is to hear someone say that. You’re the first one, in fact.” He smiled happily. “It seems the more I talk to you, the more I like you, Riley.” He shook his head, but the smile never left his lips. “It’s strange… I’ve known my whole life that I have to take up the duties of the monarchy. I’ve always wondered how that’s shaped me, who I might’ve been without the crown.” Regret and envy both filled his head as he gazed at her, knowing they were from completely different worlds.

“I can’t imagine growing up like that.” She moved her hand back on top of his again and gave it a small, comforting squeeze.

He turned his hand up and held her hand in his briefly as he gazed down at her. “I’ve never known any other way. What has it been like for you? You could be anything, do anything. What drives you, Riley?”

She sipped the last of her soda as she contemplated the answer. “What I really want is to live every day to the fullest.” Her gaze returned to his. “I mean, sure, I’m only waiting tables now, but… I like to make every day an adventure. You only get one chance at life. I want to make mine mean something.”

“That’s beautiful, Riley.” He smiled warmly at her.

Suddenly feeling shy, Riley tore her gaze from him, scanning the dance floor and spotting the rest of the group as they mingled with the other club patrons. An amused look crossed her face as she saw Drake dancing—if that’s what he called it—with Maxwell nearby cheering him on, while Tariq was calling out for more champagne. “Looked like your friends are having fun…” she observed.

“Good. I’m happy for them. They deserve to have fun… Tomorrow, it’s back to Cordonia for the start of the social season.” A shadow passed over Aidan’s eyes and he looked down at his drink.

A mischievous glint appeared in Riley’s eyes as an idea popped in her head. “But it’s not tomorrow yet…”

He lifted his head, catching the look in her eyes. “What are you suggesting?”

“You said you wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Let’s do it! I know a place where we can catch a boat tour. Best view in town.”

He glanced at his watch and then stared at her in surprise. “Wait… Right now? But it’s way past midnight. Won’t all the tours be closed?”

“Oh… right. I forgot how late it’s gotten.” The mischief now entered her smile. “In that case… you’re lucky I can call in a favor.”

“A favor? And just like that, you can get us on a tour boat after midnight to see the Statue of Liberty?” Disbelief covered his face.

“Well, maybe a few favors, actually, but I have some friends who owe me. It won’t be easy, but I know this is important to you, so… let’s go!” She finished her soda and stood up from the booth, extending her hand.

“Right now?!”

Riley tapped her watch. “It’s only getting later every minute we wait.” She looked out on the dance floor again and back down at him. “Besides, it looks like the guys are busy enough. I bet they won’t even notice you’re gone.”

“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?” A smile started to play at the corner of his mouth.

“Nope!”

Aidan finally laughed and took her hand. “Then I happily surrender to your demands.”

“Let’s go!” She quickly led him out of the club, while dialing some numbers on her phone, ignoring the twenty-some-odd nosy texts she had received from Daniel and Carl in the last hour. _Get a life, you two!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Moments later, Drake emerged from the dance crowd and found a seat next to Maxwell at the bar. He turned to stare at him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m… having a drink?” He grinned and held his glass up to him.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then… what _do_ you mean, because I’m completely lost.” Maxwell blinked, staring back at Drake’s accusing stare.

“Dancing with Riley. You know better than that.”

“Um… _She_ asked _me._ It’s not like I went over and purposely grabbed her away from Aidan.” Maxwell raised an eyebrow. “Why are you madder about this than him anyway? He was perfectly fine when she got back to the table.”

“You know Aidan’s not going to say anything.”

“I’m sure if Aidan really wanted to hold on to her and he thought I was actual threat, he would have said something…” Maxwell shook his head as he took a drink. “Trust me, I’m not a threat. I would think you’d know that by now.”

Drake eyed him warily.

“I can prove you wrong right now, you know.” He watched as Drake rose an eyebrow in response. “You obviously did not notice that Aidan and Riley walked out of this club together several minutes ago and have not returned.”

Drake’s head snapped over to the VIP booth where Aidan and Riley had been sitting. Sure enough, it was empty. “Where the hell…” he muttered. He turned back to see Maxwell giving him a mischievous grin. “What?”

“Looks like Aidan’s getting a good ending to this bachelor party after all. Bow chicka wow wow!” he sang, as he jumped up from his seat and thrusted his hips.

“Ugh! I’m gonna call him.”

As Drake ran off to try to contact Aidan on his phone, Maxwell watched after him, slowly finishing his drink. He was happy for Aidan. Really, he was. He had never seen Aidan look at anyone the way he did Riley, and it was a shame they were going to have to leave her here in New York after tonight. They’d return to their home in Cordonia, and he’d have to watch as his friend gave meaningless greetings to women who were only after his title instead of his heart. _If only there was a way for Aidan and Riley to be together_ , he thought to himself, even though for some reason, he couldn’t get the memory of him and Riley sharing that dance together out of his mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A short time later, Aidan found himself standing with Riley on the docks overlooking the New York City skyline. He gazed at the endless ocean in front of him, marveling at the background of city lights nearby. And in the far distance, hidden by a little fog, he could barely make out the outline of the Statue of Liberty. He could hardly believe it.

Riley leaned her arms on the railing next to him, smiling as she watched him observe his surroundings. “…And here we wait,” she said, breaking the silence.

Aidan looked back at her. “For?”

“A magical boat I’ve summoned just for you!” Riley waved her hand with a flourish.

He chuckled, returning his gaze in the direction of Miss Liberty. “Not a bad view…”

“Now… I’m dying to know why you’re so eager to see the Statue of Liberty.”

“Can’t you guess?”

“You want to see the Statue of Liberty because…” Riley paused, searching Aidan’s eyes. “…she symbolizes freedom.”

There was that darkness again, filling his eyes, as he nodded, pulling his gaze away from her and staring ahead towards nowhere in particular. “Freedom is something that I’ve always wanted. But I’ve always known that my role would require me to give up much of what I desire.”

“You’re the prince. Can’t you do what you want, at least some of the time?” She couldn’t help feeling sad for him.

“As a member of the royal family, my actions reflect on my house and all of Cordonia.” He compelled his expression into one of resolve and determination, which lasted momentarily before his shoulders slumped slightly and sadness returned to his eyes. “It’s something I’ve never been allowed to forget… No matter how badly I might want to.” He stared at her for one long moment, then forced himself to look away.

Riley closed the distance between the two of them, placing a tender hand on his arm. “Aidan…” she said quietly.

Just as he turned to look at her again, the blast of a horn startled the two of them apart. Looking out across the water, Riley was able to spot the tour boat pulling up.

“There’s our ride!” She grabbed his hand with a smile and started to pull him towards the loading ramp. “Ready?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later, Aidan found himself leaning on the railing of a private tour boat, staring at the ocean ahead towards the Statue of Liberty. He was still amazed he was actually going to get to see it. “You know…” he said, not taking his eyes off the small silhouette in the distance. “Part of me didn’t think you’d pull this off.”

Riley sat nearby on a cushioned seat, grinning at his astonishment. “You didn’t think I could pull it off?” She suddenly sat upright, her expression switching to concern as she looked around wildly. “Wait, who’s driving this boat?!”

Aidan turned quickly, observing the look her face, his own expression revealing slight alarm. “No one’s driving?”

A playful smile and mischievous glint in her eyes were all the answers he needed. “Just kidding.” She giggled as he shook his head with a small smile on his lips. “My college roommate’s got it covered. She owes me from the Ramen Noodle Incident of Senior Year.”

“Now _that’s_ a story I have to hear.”

“It’s quite the adventure, but it might be too long for this boat ride…”

“Okay, then at least, tell me this…” He sat down on the cushioned seat near her, a serious expression in his eyes. “Why are you doing this for me?”

Her shoulders rose and fell in a slight shrug as she smiled softly. “I’m doing this because you seemed like you need it.”

“That’s… so sweet of you.” He was surprised, but at the same time, touched. A warm feeling entered his chest that he had never before felt in his lifetime. “To be honest, no one’s ever done anything like this for me before.”

“Really? Come on, you’re a prince. I bet people do things for you all the time.” She tilted her head back, looking at him with an eyebrow slightly raised in disbelief.

“I do get all the perks that come with being in royalty, but no one’s ever seen me as just… _me._ No one’s ever listened to me the way you do. No one’s ever come up with a spur-of-the-moment plan to make my dreams come true.” His hand moved over hers, lingering for a moment before he pulled it away.

Riley stared down at her hand, feeling the warmth that his hand had left behind, then lifted her eyes back up to his. “Aidan… what else do you dream about?”

“Finding someone.” He offered up a small smile, but there was some sadness to it. “Someone who can be the queen that Cordonia needs.”

There was something not quite right there. “And… also someone you fall in love with, right?” Her eyes questioned his.

He turned his gaze towards the water. “That’s never been part of the criteria that the Cordonian Council uses.”

Her heart broke for him. No one with a heart like his should have to be forced to go through with a loveless marriage, and yet here he was, ready and willing to take that on for the good of an entire country. Willing to sacrifice his heart and happiness so that others could live in peace. She could almost see the weight of the world crushing him at that moment.

The two of them startled as the tour boat suddenly changed its speed from fast to slow, closing in on Liberty Island. The mists over the ocean began to clear up and part around them, and soon the Statue of Liberty slowly came into full focus. Aidan stood up from his seat, walking over to the railing again, his face entranced in awe and amazement.

Riley smiled, standing up and leaning on the rail next to him. “So? What do you think?”

“Magnificent…” His eyes remained glued to the sight ahead. “I’ve heard that art has meaning because of what it makes the viewer _feel_. Whether it’s the ink splatters on a canvas or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it only matters if it moves you.”

“And?”

“And right now, looking at this view with you, I feel like anything is possible.” He turned to her and took her hands in his, smiling gratefully. “Thank you for this moment, Riley. This feeling… this means more to me than you could ever know.”

She felt a blush creeping into her cheeks. “Aidan…”

He continued to stare intently at her, gently releasing her hands. “I want you to know that I admire you. Your adventurous spirit. The way you follow your heart.”

“You know… you can live that way too.”

Aidan sighed and turned his gaze back up to Lady Liberty. “If only. My whole life I’ve prepared myself to do what’s best for Cordonia.”

“Well, we’re not in Cordonia now…” Riley gazed up at him, his face enveloped by the moonlight. Aidan was drawing closer to her, an unconscious invitation appearing in his eyes. She found her mind racing a mile a minute. _Do I… No! Don’t do it!_ Her breathing slowed as the intensity of his gaze never wavered. _Oh hell, just do it! You’re never going to see him or any of his friends again. Just make a night of it!_

She gently grabbed at his collar and pulled him in for a deep kiss. She could feel his uncertainty as their lips came together, but it faded within seconds. His lips were soft, and his touch was tender. He smiled against her, brushing his lips gently over hers again before they parted.

He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes closed to savor the past moment. He breathed in deeply and brought his eyes back up to her. “You’re really something, aren’t you?” he said, almost in a whisper.

She smiled. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.” She took his hand, bringing their bodies close together in a warm embrace. She could feel his other hand circling her waist to pull her towards him in response.

He lowered his head and dropped his mouth to her ear. “Riley…” he whispered against her.

She shivered. “Yes?”

“I…” Remorse flooded his body instantly, and he released her, turning away to look back out at the ocean. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”

She leaned back on the railing next to him, giving him a curious, concerned stare. “Did I… do something wrong?”

He sighed. “No, not at all.”

“Then what’s the problem?” she asked softly.

“The problem…” He turned to face her. “…is that I didn’t expect to enjoy this so much. To enjoy being with _you_ so much.”

“Aidan…”

“I don’t want you to worry about it. It’s my problem to deal with. Right now…” He took her hands in his and held them to his heart. “I want to savor this moment with you. Out here on the ocean, in the moonlight… I’ve never felt so alive. So free. Even if it can’t last.”

She smiled sympathetically at those last words and squeezed his hands. “Are you at least having fun right now?”

He smiled down at her in return. “I’m out on a boat in the freezing Atlantic… in the middle of the night… to see the Statue of Liberty… How can anyone _help_ but have fun with you?”

She found herself blushing again. “Aidan…”

“I’ve never met anyone like you. And I’ve met… well, many very distinguished women all over the world. But every minute with you is an adventure, Riley.”

She gazed up at him, bringing a hand up to tenderly stroke the side of his face before leaning in to press her lips to his once again. He breathed in deep through his nose as hesitation took hold of him momentarily.

“Riley… we shouldn’t…” he mumbled against her, before finally giving in, his hand curling around the back of her neck and tangling into her hair. Their tongues created a slow dance in blissful unity as he pulled her tighter against him, feeling her heartbeat race against his. For just a moment, the world seemed to slow down in time, leaving them in an infinite state of unadulterated ecstasy.

“Oh, Aidan…” she murmured against him.

Everything was right. This moment. Perfection. His voice was husky as he spoke against her ear again. “You make me feel…” He stopped himself. _Wait. This isn’t real. It’s not fair to her. Just stop right there._

“I make you feel what?” Her eyes moved up to his.

He smiled down at her and cupped her face tenderly, brushing a light kiss across her forehead. “Tonight’s been quite the adventure… I never thought my night out on the town would end up like this.”

She simply smiled, moving her hand up to meet his.

“I’m glad to have met you, Riley. I’ll never forget this night…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later in the morning, Aidan woke up to some insistent knocking on his hotel suite door. Rubbing his eyes, he opened it to find a serious-looking Drake and a very bouncy, excited-looking Maxwell. “Good morning?” He moved out of the way to let them inside.

“Where did you go last night? I tried to get ahold of you.” Drake sat down one of the suite’s couches, eyeing him suspiciously.

Aidan pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. Sure enough, 17 missed calls, 5 voicemails, and 23 texts all from last night. “Sorry about that.” He shrugged apologetically. “I guess I just got really distracted.”

“So, where did she drag you away to that was more important than your bachelor party? You know this trip was supposed to be the last time all four of us were going to spend time together before the social season.” Drake crossed his arms.

“Did you and Riley…you know…?” Maxwell grinned impishly.

“I…” Aidan caught Maxwell’s look. “We… wait, no! Nothing like that!”

“Aidan doesn’t pull one-night-stands, unlike _someone_ else.” Drake rolled his eyes. “And frankly, I doubt Riley’s the one-night-stander herself.”

“Oh really? How would you know this about her, Drake?” Maxwell winked.

“I… shut up. We’re talking about Aidan.”

Aidan chuckled. “All right. If you must know…” He recalled the previous night’s events with them, watching how Drake’s eyes rose up and down calmly, and how Maxwell would get giddy with every juicy detail… Those two were yin and yang. “…and honestly, I don’t know how I feel about going into the social season anymore, having spent time with her,” he admitted. “I’ve never met anyone like her before.”

Drake looked at his friend sympathetically. “Sorry, Aidan. Didn’t realize how much you really liked her.” He clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Really wish we could have stayed longer or at least met her at the beginning of the trip so you two could have a little more time together.”

Aidan shook his head. “No… no. It’s better it worked out this way. It would have been harder if we had met earlier.”

Even Maxwell had a serious look on his face for a brief moment before returning to his usual cheeky grin. “Everything will work out fine, Aidan. You’ll see.”

Aidan put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “With you around, Maxwell, life is always interesting. I’m sure you’re right.” He sighed and stood up. “Now, I should get ready. Our flight for Cordonia leaves soon.”

As Aidan walked into the suite bathroom and shut the door, Maxwell sprang up from his seat. “Ohmygod! Drake! Drake! Drake!” He ran over and grabbed Drake, shaking him by the shoulders.

“Maxwell, what the hell?” Drake shoved him off, annoyed. “Seriously, lay off the caffeine.”

“I just got the. Best. Idea. Ever!!!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley made her way down the street, heading towards the Spicy Apple, as memories of the previous night replayed through her head. _Last night was fun… but it’s time to face the real world… and that means going back to work._ As the sign for the Spicy Apple came into view, a half-smile crossed her face and she shook her head. _Carl and Daniel are gonna_ die _when they hear about this!_

Just as she was about to reach the doors of the bar, a voice called out her name. Her hand paused at the handle. That voice was familiar. She turned to see Maxwell jogging toward her. _He’s still here?!_ She broke out into a smile. “Hey!”

He grinned back at her. “Riley! Glad I caught you. We’re heading back to Cordonia so Aidan can find someone to marry and all that jazz. But before I go, I wanted to officially extend to you an invitation to join us for the festivities in Cordonia.”

She froze. _Wait._ “Huh?” _Did he just say what I think he just said?_

“You wouldn’t usually be allowed to join… but I want to sponsor you!”

“ _Sponsor_ me?” _I am so confused right now…_

“I’m from a noble house, but I don’t have any sisters, so we don’t have anyone in contention to marry the Prince. Instead, we can sponsor any girl we choose. And you’re my pick!”

He said it like he had just given her the greatest honor in the world, and she still had no clue what he was talking about. “You want to sponsor me…” she repeated slowly. “Why me?”

“I’m not just doing it for you. I saw how Aidan looked at you last night. I’ve never seen him so happy. And honestly?” His smile actually started to transition into sadness. “I don’t want him to lose that.” Sadness gone. He looked at his watch as the excited smile came back. “We’re kinda crunched for time, though. I’ve got a plane leaving within the hour…”

Riley took a step back, trying to take it all in. “Whoa. You’re moving a little fast, don’t you think?”

“No time to waste. Everyone arrives at the palace today. The opening Masquerade is tomorrow! It’s the start of the… uh, I guess you could say, it’s the start of the competition.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a whole horde of gorgeous, rich, noble women vying to become Cordonia’s next queen. And it’s not _just_ about winning the Prince’s hand. You’ve also got to prove to the council that you can rule Cordonia with him. But I think you’ve got what it takes. You’re witty and charming.” He flashed her a grin, giving her a thumbs up.

She raised an eyebrow in doubt. “Uh, thanks. So… a fancy Masquerade… and what else am I getting myself into?”

“Fun stuff, I promise! You’ll get to go yachting in the Mediterranean, skiing in the Alps, and dancing in the Royal Palace… Or, y’know, you can stay here…” He pointed over to the Spicy Apple. “…and go back to your waitressing gig with your crappy boss. That’s probably about as good, right?” He threw his hands up and shrugged.

For a moment, Riley began to think about everything that happened the previous night. It was like the beginning chapter of a whole new adventure, and here was Maxwell, offering her a chance to move forward to see where that journey took her next. She slowly started to smile. “I’m in.”

His grin got even bigger, if that were actually possible. “Yeah!” He picked her up and grabbed her into a huge hug. “Go pack your bags. This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime!”

She laughed at his energy and hugged him back, looking up at him. Like last night at the dance, time stopped for a moment as the two of them stared into each other’s eyes, neither of them moving from the hug.

“I… um… should go in there,” Riley finally said, breaking the silence. “I need to let them know I’m quitting.”

“…Yeah… yeah, I’ll wait here for you,” he replied, setting her down.

As she walked into the bar, he watched after her. His cheek began to tingle again from her kiss last night, and he immediately fought to shake the feeling off. _Aidan_ , he said to himself. _We’re doing this for Aidan. Remember that._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well… looked what the cat finally dragged in.”

Riley entered Spicy Apple Bar & Grill for the final time, finding Carl at the bar, wiping it down to begin receiving the afternoon rush. A roguish grin spread across his face as he caught sight of her.

“You never did answer our group texts last night. I take it the condom came in handy?” He winked.

“Ugh, Carl!” She really wanted to smack him, throw something at him, get into her normal daily afternoon spat with him… but today was going to be different. Today was goodbye. For how long, she did not know.

He caught the look in her eyes immediately. “Riley? What is it?”

She looked around the restaurant. “…Where’s Daniel?”

“…He won’t be here for another three hours. You saw the schedule…”

“…And Rick?”

He threw the towel down, came out from around the bar to meet her, and put his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her. “Now I know something’s wrong if you’re calling the boss by his actual name without slipping up. He’s not here either. Won’t be here till the night rush.”

She sighed and closed the distance, bringing him into a tight hug. “Thank you for everything, Carl. You’ve always been such a good friend. More than that… you’ve always been like a brother to me. You have no idea how grateful I am for you.”

He hugged her just as tightly back, a little shocked. “…Um… thanks?” He waited until she moved back and he was able to look at her again. “Kinda… weird… starting the shift like this… Did something bad happen last night? Are you okay? Did one of them hurt you?”

“Carl…” She put a closed hand in his, then removed it, leaving a set of keys in his hand. “I’m quitting. Right now.”

He stared down at them, stunned into silence.

She lowered her eyes and started to step back. “I’m sorry… I’ll… keep in touch.”

“Riley, wait.” He moved toward her. “I don’t understand. What’s happening? Where are you going?”

“It’s a long story, Carl. I promise, I’ll tell you and Daniel everything later.” She grabbed him in a hug again, trying to keep her eyes from tearing up.

“Riley, stop.” He pulled away, holding her at arm’s length. “This is _your_ choice, right? No one’s making this for you?” He studied her face as she nodded in response. “Please, at least tell me where you’re going. You can tell me everything else later.”

“Cordonia.” She pushed his arms down and moved to hug him one last time. “I really need to go now, Carl. I don’t have much time.”

He sighed deeply as he held her close to him, trying to maintain his composure. “Goodbye, Riley,” he said quietly, smashing a brotherly kiss against the side of her head. “Be safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the dialogue here were pieces of a failed rewrite that PB had done for the RR (before they pulled it--you can always check out the replays of those chapters on YouTube, since a couple players uploaded them. Just look up Royal Romance Rewrite. They only rewrote the first four chapters.). I found some of it worked for how I wanted the story to play out. I'll be pulling some pieces of it for the next couple chapters as well.
> 
> The addition of Carl was a last minute idea. I know I'm not alone among many readers who've been bothered that Riley literally had no connections to anyone else whatsoever after she left New York (family, friends, etc...).


	2. A Royal Welcoming

** Chapter 2: A Royal Welcoming **

“Wait… seriously? You’re packing up and moving halfway across the world with some random guys that you just met _last night_?” Riley’s roommate, Kat, put her hands on her hips as she watched Riley pack her suitcase. “Do you _not_ know how insane that is?!”

“These aren’t just random guys. I… ugh.” Riley closed her eyes and let her head drop. There was no way she could explain this without sounding like a pathetic lovestruck teenager. All she needed to add in there was ‘ _but they’re_ different _from all other guys!’_

“Yep. Crazy. I know you’re seeing it too.” She exhaled loudly and glanced out the door, down the hall where she could see Maxwell and Drake sitting on their couch in the living room. “Although… who could blame you? Either one of them would make a fine catch… Mmm.”

“Better watch it before you start drowning in that puddle of drool you’re spilling, Kat.”

“I’m seriously going to miss you, Riley. Who else can understand my amazing sense of style?”

“I’m sure there’s someone else out there who can appreciate an apartment full of…” She gestured around the room. “…cat décor.” She leaned forward conspiratorially. “Confession time? I was always more a dog person.”

Kat gasped and put a hand to her heart. “No!”

Riley patted her shoulder. “Sorry, Kat.”

“This is blasphemy!”

“Are we done?”

“I opened my home to you, and you stomp all over my heart as you leave!” She put the back of her hand to her eyes, sniffling.

Riley crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

“Okay, I’m done.”

Meanwhile, down the hall, Maxwell watched the exchange between the two women—although he couldn’t hear what they were saying. He focused in on Riley’s smile as she spoke with her roommate. She really did look pretty, he thought, and that smile just made her look ten times as radiant. He was really looking forward to coming home to Cordonia with her. _For Aidan, right?_ He shook his head and quickly turned his gaze away.

His gaze fell on Drake, who was staring wincingly at their surroundings. “This place… is like something out of my nightmares…”

“You dreamed of being in a room like this, Drake?”

“God, no.” His eyes continued to roam the room. Cat wallpaper, cat curtains, cat pillows, cat lamps, cat figurines and pictures galore, and… good lord, this woman even managed to find some kind of cat-shaped television set. His eyes settled on a photo of the famous Grumpy Cat, dressed up in a glittery outfit and crown covered in faux rhinestones, complete with the classic miserable face. “I feel your pain, buddy.”

Maxwell chuckled, then grinned as he saw Riley coming down the hall with her suitcase. “Looks like she’s ready to go.”

“Thank _god._ ”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“A boutique?” Riley looked around at the racks of formalwear and shot a questioning look at Maxwell.

He put a hand on her shoulder. “First step in helping you start to fit in here. Not that I don’t love the ‘Casual American’ look you’ve got going, but… you’re about to step foot in Cordonia for the first time, and everyone’s eyes are going to be on you… The Prince, the paparazzi, and Bert…” _Fuck._ “Er, the people of Cordonia!”

Not missing a beat, Riley immediately turned back to look at him, staring curiously. “What was that last one?”

“Never mind that. The point is… why don’t we give your soon-to-be-adoring fans something that says, ‘Your future princess is here’?”

“Future princess… hmm…” She searched the racks and pulled out a beautiful blue off-shoulder dress with flowered-lace decorating the top portion. She went into the dressing room to try it on. It reached several inches above her knees, and the sides of the dress was slit all the way to the bottom of her hips. A faux sapphire broach bordered in gold and diamonds connected the white ribbon sleeves at the top of the dress and rested just above the middle of her chest. She walked out of the dressing room to model for Maxwell, putting a single hand to her hip. “So? How about this? What do you think?”

He took a slow, silent breath in. The dress was beautiful on her, hugging all her curves in the right places. “I think that says ‘Princess Riley’ all over it,” he said with a big smile. As she turned around to collect her former clothes, he let out the breath he had been holding, trying to slow the beating of his heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The last time she had been on a plane was to see Carl’s military graduation, and that plane had nothing on the one she was in now. She was sitting in one of the most impossibly luxurious seats that she had ever seen on a plane, while sipping on some frosted apple cider, which was surprisingly the best she had ever tasted.

Maxwell and Drake sat across from her, with completely opposite expressions on their faces. Maxwell, unsurprisingly, had a giant smile on his face—was this guy ever _not_ happy? She had to admit, his personality, although unorthodox, was very refreshing. Drake, on the other hand, carried a more brooding expression. Come to think of it, she can’t remember if she had ever seen the guy smile the whole time he’d been in New York. Oh… wait… there was that one chick rubbing up on him in the club that did get a nice rise out of him. She smirked at the thought. Drake eyes took notice of her expression, but he didn’t say anything.

“Say ‘goodbye’ to New York and ‘hello’ to Cordonia!” Maxwell said, breaking the silence.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening…” she said, the excitement finally settling in.

“Believe it.”

_And Grumpy Bear speaks!_

“We’ll be landing soon, ready or not. And if you’re _not_ ready, those ladies at court are going to eat you alive.”

“Yeesh, don’t scare her, Drake!” Maxwell gave him a look before turning back to her. “You okay, Riley?”

Riley sat back against her chair, crossing her arms, and gave Drake a pointed look. “Honestly… I’m not afraid of _anything_.”

She thought a smile might actually break through. His lips curled up just slightly enough to show that he was vaguely impressed by her response. “…Heh. We’ll see once we land.”

“I don’t get why you’re being so grim about this…” She put her chin in her hands, elbows to her knees, and studied his face. “Are you always so negative, Drake?”

“Look, no offense…”

_Annnnd there’s my answer…_

“…but I’ve seen girls like you come and go. It never ends well. Not for you, not for Aidan, not for the royal family.”

Before she could even respond, Maxwell jumped in quickly to her defense, glaring at Drake. “Hey! Riley’s not some crown-chaser.”

Riley offered him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Maxwell. He’s absolutely right, Drake. I’m different than those girls. Aidan being a prince doesn’t matter at all to me.”

Drake shook his head. “You really have no idea, do you? That’s exactly the kind of naïve thinking that’s going to land you in trouble here.”

Maxwell got up and jumped into the seat next to her. “Don’t listen to Drake. You’ll be fine, Riley. Between me and my brother, you’re in good hands.”

“Oh, you have a brother?”

“Oh, yeah! My older brother, Duke Bertrand. He’s the head of House Beaumont, which you are now a part of thanks to yours truly. As the eldest son, he’s the heir and I’m the spare. You’ll see Bertrand after we land. He’ll be… _excited_ to meet you.” Although he was a bouncing ball of energy at the moment, hidden within his smile, Riley thought she could almost detect a hint of nervousness.

“Heh. Yeah. He’ll be _overjoyed_ , I’m sure,” came Drake’s cynical voice.

_PING! PING! PING!_

Riley’s head snapped down to her purse, and Maxwell’s eyes followed. “Uh oh.”

“Everything okay, Riley?”

She pulled her phone out and saw the text messages rolling in one by one. “My other ‘brother’ just found me out,” she said with a rueful grin, opening it up to read and respond.

**Daniel:** RILEY WTFFFFF!!! 😱

 **Daniel:** I just talked to Carl!!!

 **Daniel:** You’re leaving???

 **Daniel:** I just told you to get a phone number, not elope with them! 💍👰🤵

 **Carl:** Sorry, baby sis. 🙄

 **Carl:** I’m still trying to calm him down.

 **Riley:** Thanks, Carl.

 **Riley:** Daniel, I promise, I’ll get in touch with you both when I have more time to talk.

 **Daniel:** I miss you already! 😭

 **Riley:** I miss you both. We’ll talk soon.

Maxwell smiled sympathetically at her as she set her phone back into her purse. “Yeah… sorry this is all going so fast. Otherwise, I’d tell you to take all the time you need with your friends.”

She patted his arm. “Hey, sometimes life doesn’t give you the choice, and you just gotta go with it. My brothers will handle it just fine. It was just a shock, but they’ll deal in their own way… and it’s not like I’ll never talk to them again.”

“What about your roommate?”

“Oh, Kat? She’ll live. Once she finds another sucker to put up with her decorating predilections, she’ll forget all about me. I lived there because the rent was cheap. It’s expensive to live in New York on a waitress’s budget.”

“Drake was really freaked out by her apartment,” Maxwell laughed, shooting a mocking look over at Drake, who shook his head at the memory.

“Oh good. Remind me to give her Drake’s phone number!”

“Ha. Ha.” Drake rolled his eyes.

Just then, an announcement broke through overhead, announcing they would be arriving in Cordonia and to prepare for the plane’s descent.

Maxwell waved her over to the window eagerly. “Hey, look! You can see Cordonia out the window! Riley, you won’t want to miss this!”

The view was truly breathtaking from where they sat. The palace sat atop the main hill overlooking the entire country, while multiple villages and patches of landscape cascaded throughout the hills, with the ocean providing a foamy border along the edge, forming a beautiful, picturesque scene that she could have sworn was created by mere fantasy. “ _That’s_ Cordonia? It’s like something out of a fairy tale! The sparkling ocean, the swaying trees…”

Drake watched her with mild amusement. “If you burst into song, I’m jumping out of the plane.”

“Is that so?” A teasing smile formed on her lips. “How quick will you jump out if I sing a song about cats?”

“Who is insane enough to write a song about _cats_?”

“Have you _not_ heard of Andrew Lloyd Webber? He wrote an entire musical on them!” She laughed at his repulsed expression. “Oh wait, I know! Disney! You know… _Everybody wants to be a cat… because the cat’s the only cat who knows where it’s at…_ ” She snapped her fingers as she sung the lines.

“Heh. That _is_ kinda catchy… has that whole jazzy thing going.” Maxwell bobbed his head and snapped his fingers with her, earning a smile out of her.

“Maxwell!” Drake’s eyes widened.

“You know me, Drake. I’m all about the beat!”

“Join us, Drake!” Riley giggled.

“Hard pass.” Riley was pretty sure she caught a hint of a smile on his face before he looked away, shaking his head.

“Almost ready to land. Are you ready, Riley?” Maxwell beamed enthusiastically.

She took a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As a town car drove the three of them up the winding hillside and to the palace gates, Maxwell leaned over and put his hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Okay, now brace yourself…”

_Oh boy._ “…What do you mean by that?”

The town car came to a stop alongside the curb of the palace. Drake took his exit without a word and walked away quickly as Maxwell helped Riley out of the car. The moment she was out, she was immediately greeted by the clamor of a thick crowd of people and paparazzi. Just up ahead, she could see several beautiful women strolling down a red carpet to the palace gates, pausing to sign autographs or pose for photos.

“…A fantastic showing of the newest fashion showcased by none other than the Cordonian nobility!” one reporter was saying toward her camera, waving her hand in the direction of the red carpet.

“Lady Kiara! Over here!” another reporter shouted above the noise of the crowd, as he held his camera up for a photo op.

Riley tried to catch a glimpse of the woman he had stated was Lady Kiara. A beautiful exotic-looking woman with dark hair spoke out with a French accent, striking an elegant pose for the camera and flashing a brilliant smile. “Bien sur!”

She felt a hand on her arm and looked over to find Maxwell taking her arm into his, gently encouraging her to move forward. “Let’s go, princess,” he said, giving her a small smile as they started walking, falling in line behind other arrivals.

“What’s happening?” she murmured.

“All the women who are vying for the prince’s hand arrive today! Just like you! Come on… Just smile and keep walking…” he whispered back.

Riley flashed her best smile as several of the paparazzi turned in their direction, some raising questions at the arrival of the newest lady at court and others raising their cameras to get the first shots.

“Who’s that with Maxwell Beaumont?”

“Someone with _impeccable_ fashion sense… Maybe a model?”

“Or a surprise contender for the Prince? Over here!”

“Wow, they’re all looking at me…” Riley said to him quietly, smiling and waving amidst the flurry of camera flashes as she and Maxwell continued to walk down the red carpet. “I always knew I was destined for the spotlight!”

“Yeah, fame looks great on you…” He smiled at her. “Soon, it’s always going to be like this. Everyone talking about you, admiring your look, taking your photo… In fact, we’ll be making sure of that from here on out.”

As more paparazzi snapped photos and called out to her, Maxwell continued to escort her down the red carpet and up to the gates of the palace where Drake stood waiting with his arms crossed, glancing around at the media circus surrounding them.

“Well, _you_ went down the red carpet awfully fast,” Riley observed.

Drake rolled his eyes. “Eh, it’s not really my scene.”

“No kidding.”

Maxwell tugged on her arm. “All right, Riley… Let’s get inside. The palace awaits!”

Riley’s eyes glowed with anticipation as she looked beyond the gates. “I can’t believe I’m going to step foot inside a castle!”

Drake opened the palace gates, waving his hand with an exaggerated flourish. “Come on, Cinderella…”

“So here we are… the Royal Palace,” Maxwell said, as the three of them stepped out onto the grounds. “Welcome to your home for the next few months, Riley.”

Riley gazed up in awe at the gorgeous, massive palace that stood before her. From either side, it seemed to stretch on forever, surrounded by lush, beautiful gardens. “ _This_ is where I’m staying? I didn’t realize I’d be living _in_ the palace!”

Maxwell nodded as if it were no big deal. “Most of the nobility live here while the social season is underway… including all the ladies vying for Aidan’s hand.”

“Yeah, living under one roof just makes it easier to attend the rose ceremony later…”

Drake appeared on her other side, dripping with sarcasm as Maxwell rolled his eyes. “Drake’s just kidding… at least about the roses. Anyway, I’ll show you to your room, Riley.”

“This is my cue to take off. See you around… if you’re lucky.”

Riley raised an eyebrow as Drake took off once more. _Well, aren’t we full of ourselves?_ She turned back to Maxwell, following him into the palace. Her eyes grew wide again as she took in the surroundings of the interior. _Wow…_ As they began to climb up the grand staircase, she glanced over at him. “So… what’s the deal with Drake? Why is he so… jaded?”

He shrugged. “Oh, don’t mind him. Drake’s never really… fit in.”

“Not used to courtly life?”

Maxwell chuckled. “Definitely not. He’s a commoner. He’s… always been an outsider here. Even if he is Aidan’s best friend…”

Once they reached the top of the stairs, Maxwell began leading her down a series of hallways, doors, and corridors. “Just a little further… I know it’s kind of a maze at first, but you’ll get used to it.” He stopped short in front of a stunningly ornate door. “Aaaaand here it is! Your room…”

Riley’s mouth dropped as she walked inside the lavish guest room with full-length paintings, gilded ceilings, and a bed of fluffy pillows. The room was literally three times as big as the apartment she had left behind in New York. “Wow…”

“As a royal guest, you’re spared no luxury…”

She walked around slowly, her hands behind her back as she took everything in. “Sooo… nothing’s stopping me from…” She whirled around to face him, her eyes lighting up with a mischievous sparkle. “…jumping on the bed?”

Maxwell laughed. “Only your dignity.”

A playful grin formed on her face. “Perfect.” She took a running leap and landed squarely in the middle of the giant bed, getting up to jump on it several times. She sighed happily as she finally sunk down into the mattress. “ _Ahhh…_ This is _so_ much better than memory foam.”

Maxwell offered his hand out to her, smiling. “Glad you like it. If you want, I can show you arou—”

The two of them jumped as he was suddenly interrupted by a flood of heavy knocking at the door. The voice of an obviously irritated man rang out from behind it.

“ _Maxwell Beaumont! I can hear you in there! I need to speak with you this instant!_ ”

Riley’s eyes widened as she turned to stare at Maxwell’s equally wide—not to mention very nervous—eyes. “Um… sounds like someone’s looking for you…”

“Right, uh, Riley, let me do all the talking…” _Shit… how did he even figure out I was here yet? He weren’t even supposed to show up until tomorrow!_ Maxwell squared his shoulders and moved to open the door, right as it burst open, revealing an imposing man with a stern expression standing in the doorway.

He immediately strode in and made a beeline for Maxwell. “Maxwell? I have just heard the most _alarming_ report—”

“Bertrand!” Maxwell smiled, raising his arms in welcome. “It’s so great that you’re here! I wasn’t expecting you until much, much _much_ later! But now that you’re here…” He gestured over to Riley, who gave a polite smile in their direction. “This is the one I was telling you _all_ about… Riley!”

Bertrand eyed her warily, his nose wrinkling almost as if in disgust. “…Ah, I see. So what I’ve heard _is_ true. This is the girl you’ve chosen to represent our house?”

Maxwell smiled nervously. “Yep! Nailed it, right?” He motioned for Riley to come forward, placing a hand at the small of her back and using the other to gesture towards his brother. “Riley, this is my older brother, Bertrand.”

Riley smiled and held out her hand to him. “It’s nice to meet you, Bertrand.”

Bertrand stared at her hand as if it were a snake and responded in a scornful tone. “The _proper_ way to address a duke is ‘Your Grace.’”

She glared at him. _Well I’ll be damned. It’s Rick in a sweater vest._ “Oh! Maxwell didn’t mention the stick up your ass.”

Maxwell gawked at her from behind Bertrand, his heart racing—only this time, he couldn’t figure out if it was because she had impressed him again or if he was horrified for Bertrand’s guaranteed reaction. _Both. Probably both._

Bertrand, no surprise, was not amused. “ _Charming._ Insolence isn’t a trait _I_ would’ve chosen for the Prince’s suitor…”

“Riley just has a lot of spirit.” Maxwell smiled weakly.

“I can see that.” Bertrand frowned even more, if that were even physically possible.

“…It’s a _good_ thing.”

“Hmph. Maxwell, a word with you in private?”

Bertrand grabbed Maxwell’s arm, hauling him roughly out of the room and slamming the door behind them. Riley stared after them. _Wow. He’s a joy._ Her ears picked up on the brothers’ voices coming through the door, and she could hear her name being mentioned a few times. She quietly crept over to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening in.

“ _That’s_ the girl you picked to represent our family?!” Bertrand’s voice rang out in disbelief.

_I thought we already established that, but if you need a repeat…_

“Yeah. That’s Riley. Aidan really hit it off with her when they met at the restaurant for his bachelor party. She was our waitress.”

She smiled at the memory.

“A _waitress._ You brought a _waitress_ ,” Bertrand sputtered. He actually sputtered. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you! We could’ve had our pick of any unsponsored duchess or countess in half of Europe.”

_What a snob._

“Well, sure, but like I said, she and Aidan have a lot of, you know, _chemistry_. I think he really likes her. I know you probably don’t care, but she could make him really happy. Like I’ve-never-seen-him-so-happy kind of happy. Shouldn’t Aidan have a shot at love like that, even if he _is_ the Prince?”

She smiled again. _Aidan’s lucky to have you, Maxwell…_

Bertrand scoffed. “Spare me your sentimentality. You’d better hope that this waitress doesn’t ruin everything.”

_What an asshole. This guy is really… Oh shit!_ Riley threw her arm up to protect her face just in time as the door suddenly flew open again, nearly striking her. “Oh!”

Bertrand scowled at her. “You were listening to everything, weren’t you?”

Riley crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes on him. “Yeah, and I don’t like what I heard.”

“Perfect, a waitress with _no manners._ ”

“Look, _you’re_ the ones who invited me here. If you’re so unhappy with me, just get another girl.” She spun around and marched toward her suitcase.

“No! You can’t do that!” Maxwell rushed over to her and gently took hold of her arm. “Please, Riley…”

She turned her head to face him, silently looking into his eyes.

“We already said you were our pick, so if you go, we got no one.”

“Maxwell is, unfortunately, correct. We’re _stuck_ with you,” Bertrand rudely added.

Riley snapped her head in his direction, glared at him, then turned her attention back to Maxwell. There was an uncharacteristic shade in his normally joyful sapphire eyes, though he was attempting his best to conceal it with a smile. She moved her hand over his and squeezed it softly. “I’m not going anywhere,” she promised, almost smiling as she watched his eyes instantly light up in response.

“Perhaps Maxwell didn’t fully explain this to you, but if our house puts forth the Prince’s choice, we’ll win fame and recognition…” Bertrand puffed out his chest proudly.

“Something we could really use right now actually, ‘cause we’re kind of broke…”

Bertrand glowered in his direction. “Maxwell. You overstep.”

“Sorry.”

_Welcome to the real world, boys._ “You’re broke? There’s no shame in being broke. I’ve been broke _plenty_ of times.”

Maxwell smiled gratefully at her. “Thanks, Riley. No one outside of House Beaumont really knows how bad things are.”

Bertrand scowled at her, obviously offended that she would _dare_ compare her life to his. Oh, the nerve… “It’s entirely different for _us._ ”

“So… do you get money if I marry the Prince?”

“Not… directly, but we can leverage the prestige to great effect. It would be best to get that leverage before others find out our… situation.” Bertrand heaved an exasperated sigh as he looked her over, finally taking in what they had to work with.

“In the circles we run in, if word got out of our financial ruin, it would be a scandal,” Maxwell added.

“But our name is still worth something in Cordonia! At the very least, we can introduce you to the right people, get you invitations to the right events…”

“I only regret that we can’t offer you more…” Maxwell gave an apologetic smile. _Especially when you deserve so much…_ much _more…_

“Oh, but we can! We can offer you a first-rate education in the ways of court…”

_Wait. Did he seriously just attempt a smile when he said that?_ “An… education?” She eyed him curiously.

“You may dress the part, but you will also need to play it… Now is the perfect time to start memorizing the lineages of each Great House! No, wait, perhaps it’s more urgent to educate you on silverware in order from least to most obscure?” Bertrand frowned, racking his brain to figure out which lessons held more priority before her big debut.

“Hey, hey, Bertrand… Let’s not scare Riley off. She just got here!” Maxwell slung an arm around Riley’s shoulder. “We should show her the more _fun_ side of living here!”

Bertrand stared as him as if he just spoke a foreign language to him. “Fun?! Such as?”

Maxwell was back to his bouncing self again as he began rattling off ideas. ”Well… I was going to take her to the most awesome parts of the palace: the Crown Jewels, the _most forbidden_ rooms, my favorite bathroom…”

Riley turned to face him. “Uh, favorite _bathroom_?”

Bertrand paused, considering the idea. “Hmm, I suppose it wouldn’t do for Riley to get lost, or worse, cause an international incident by walking into the wrong bathroom. But the lessons…”

Maxwell waved his hand in dismissal. “Maybe while we’re touring, you can talk to her about dead kings or whatever…”

Bertrand’s mouth dropped, completely offended. “I _hope_ by that you mean ‘the _distinguished_ history of Cordonia’!”

He nodded in agreeance… whether or not he actually cared was another story. “Sure. Exactly!” He grinned over at Riley. “What do you say, Riley? Want to see the best of what the palace has to offer?”

“I would be delighted!” She grabbed his arm. “Lead the way!”

“Yeah! I don’t even know where to start!”

“It doesn’t matter if we’re going to see _everything_ , does it?”

Maxwell laughed. “I _knew_ I liked you! Come on!”

Bertrand rolled his eyes. “Oh heaven help me…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“First stop! The dining room!” Maxwell waved his arms around the lavishly decorated room.

Bertrand immediately began lecturing, ready to impart his vast knowledge of Cordonian history out to her. “Yes, yes, the Ruby Dining Room was built in the 1700s and is a display of Cordonia’s incredible wealth. Everything you see here is made from the finest materials and by artisans at the top of their trade. This room is most renowned for hosting the terms of the peace treaty between—”

“My stomach and food?” Maxwell patted his stomach with a smile.

Bertrand scowled. “Cordonia and the as-of-yet burgeoning country of Auvernal…”

“That too! But speaking of food… Riley, now that you’re here as our guest, the royal kitchens can make anything your heart desires!” Maxwell gestured toward a nearby servant. “Go on. Ask for something!”

“Anything, huh? What about the biggest ice cream sundae I’ve ever seen!”

Bertrand appeared mystified by the request. “The world’s finest chefs, and you chose… ice cream?”

“Hey, it’s got ice, it’s got cream… what’s not to like?” Maxwell grinned.

“That’s not exactly… oh, never mind.” Bertrand shook his head in dismay.

Not even a few moments later, a sundae as big as a beach ball arrived in the dining room. Maxwell’s mouth dropped. “That… is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!”

Riley ran over to it and grabbed onto a spoon. “Yessss…” She handed another spoon to Maxwell. “Care to share? First one to get brain freeze wins!”

“Oh you are _so_ on!!!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After the dining room experience, and multiple cases of brain freeze, Maxwell and Bertrand continued to walk Riley through the palace, showing her the sights, starting with the lofty rooms that proudly displayed Cordonian history.

Maxwell opened another door to a vastly decorated area. “And here, in the historic east wing, we have the National Cordonian Gallery…”

Riley looked around in awe. “Oooooh… it’s very impressive…”

Bertrand nodded. “Yes… In days past, this was the throne room, the center of power where the reigning monarchs would hold court… but, once the new throne room was built, this became a gallery devoted to important relics like the Cordonian Crown Jewels…”

“Those are over here!” Maxwell said, eagerly leading the group to a display case where an orb and scepter sat glistening on soft, velvet apple-red pillows.

Riley examined the apple-shaped orb and golden scepter. “…Is everything here apple-themed?”

“Ooh, yeah, pretty much.” Maxwell nodded.

“They’re symbols of the Crown. Every king and queen has held these during their coronation.” Bertrand turned to her. “You know, if all goes according to plan and you marry Prince Aidan, you might one day hold them yourself.”

Riley found herself staring at the orb and scepter, the idea suddenly seeming slightly overwhelming. “I can’t wait,” she said coolly.

Maxwell patted her shoulder. “I like that confidence!”

_Well, thank god he didn’t notice…_ She glanced over at him and found his eyes studying hers. _Or, did he…?_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“And here is the palace pool deck! Floating the days away has never been so attainable…” Maxwell showed off a gigantic pool in front of them.

A wicked thought came to Riley’s mind as the brothers stood in front of her. “Hey, is there something down there at the bottom of the pool?” she asked, pointing towards the water.

Bertrand raised one of his ridiculously thick eyebrows. “There shouldn’t be. Where?”

Maxwell moved ahead of him. “Lemme try to see…”

As they both leaned over to look, Riley snuck up behind them. “Think fast!!!” At the slightest push, Bertrand and Maxwell both toppled into the water with a huge splash.

“Whoa!” Maxwell shouted.

“My word!” Bertrand gasped.

“Gotta stay on your toes, brothers Beaumont!” Riley stood proudly away from the perimeter, watching as they both hastened to the edge to climb out.

“Oh, toes will be stayed on from now on, Lady Riley!” Maxwell replied, unable to stop laughing as he looked in his brother’s direction.

“Towels!” Bertrand shrieked. “We need towels! So many towels…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Is this…?” Riley stared at the large bathtub before her and turned to Maxwell. “… _the_ bathroom?”

Maxwell grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, isn’t it incredible?!”

“Huh…” She ran her hand along the edge of the tub. “It looks perfect for bubble baths!”

“I _know_ , right? This is _the_ biggest tub in the entire palace, and it’s perfect both in shape and height to achieve the optimal ratio of water to bubble levels!”

“That does sound luxurious…”

“I’ll share my bubble formula with you later…”

Bertrand grimaced. “ _Please_ tell me when you say that this is the ‘biggest tub’ in the entire palace that you have not actually tried _every tub_ in the palace…” He paused and pinched the bridge of his nose, holding a hand up. “No… wait, don’t answer that. I’d like to maintain some level of plausible deniability…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“… the _Royal Throne Room_!” Maxwell pointed ahead to the two red-cushioned thrones standing before them.

“The Royal Throne Room…” Riley breathed in. “Yep… sure looks like it was made for me!”

Bertrand scoffed. “Nonsense! These thrones predate you by hundreds of years…”

“I think that was a joke…” Maxwell looked from Riley to Bertrand.

_At least someone understands sarcasm…_

“They are no laughing matter!”

_But I guess when you don’t have a sense of humor…_

“This is where the King and Queen sit to meet with foreign dignitaries and their people… In the old days, it used to be that peasants and nobility alike had to pay their respects by kneeling and touching the hem of the king or queen… But ever since a successful assassination on a queen several hundred years ago, that was outlawed. In fact, you must _never_ physically touch the King or Queen without their permission.”

Riley gave a slight nod. “Good to know…”

“Now if you follow me this way…” Bertrand walked away from the thrones toward a portrait gallery on the far end, not noticing Riley and Maxwell hanging back to look at the thrones again.

“I always wondered if the thrones were comfortable…” Maxwell looked from the thrones to Riley.

“Maybe we should try them on for size.”

“You really want to do that?”

“Don’t you?”

“I’d like to keep my head, thanks. But I’ve got your back if you want to give it a spin.” His eyes widened as she wordlessly stepped up and took a seat on the pillowed throne, kicking back. “I didn’t actually think you’d do it!” Her rebel spirit was making him like her more and more. He was enjoying his time with her. It was unreal how a chance meeting in New York turning into him bringing her to Cordonia for… _For Aidan…_ He sighed internally and forced his thoughts out of his head. “…But seriously, is it comfortable?”

“I could get used to it… maybe…” she said, standing up and hopping down from the dais. “Now, should we catch up with Bertrand before he figures out we aren’t listening?”

“After you.”

The two of them easily slipped behind Bertrand, who had been completely oblivious to the fact that they were never following him in the first place. “…and this portrait of King Constantine was bequeathed by the Count of Fydoria as a gift…”

“Mm-hm, very nice.” Maxwell nodded, feigning interest.

“Mm, yep, _very_ nice,” Riley echoed.

Bertrand turned to them, narrowing his eyes. “You two are… suspiciously agreeable.”

Maxwell raised his hands in defense. “What? Nothing suspicious here! But, you know, I am going to scout up ahead, pick our next destination…”

As she watched Maxwell skip off down the hall, the grandeur of everything she’d just seen fully hit her. “…Aidan wasn’t kidding when he said he was a prince, was he?” Her legs felt a little weak, as she reached to steady herself against the wall.

Bertrand folded his hands behind his back, observing her. “I’d much prefer if you didn’t use his first name so much in public. There’s… protocol to follow, you realize.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to see that…”

A thoughtful look crossed his face. “Hmm… Riley, I’m curious. What exactly are you doing here?”

“You said you’d take me on a tour?”

“I mean, _here_ in Cordonia.”

“Well, Bertrand, haven’t you ever been in love?”

“Er… well… I…” Did she actually fluster him?!

Riley smiled. “Alright, who’s the lucky girl?”

“ _No one,_ ” Bertrand growled defensively. “I don’t have time for such diversions. And it’s _you_ we’re talking about. Why are you here trying to win the hand of Prince Aidan?”

“Bertrand, Aidan is special. I knew it from the moment we met, and I didn’t even know he was a prince back then. And now, I have this incredible chance thanks to you and Maxwell. Shouldn’t I follow through to see what happens next?” She watched as Bertrand simply stared at her, almost as if deep in thought. “What? Too sentimental?”

“No…” he replied slowly. “I think I see it now.”

“See what?”

“You have a certain… something. Maybe it’s charm, I’m not sure, but…” He took a deep breath and nodded in approval. “…perhaps we do have some slim sliver of a chance after all…”

She blinked. “I _think_ that’s nice of you to say?”

“Don’t celebrate yet. We still have our work cut out for us. It could all end tomorrow.”

“Couldn’t end it on a high note, could you?”

Bertrand simply shrugged in response as Maxwell returned to the room. “Hey, what’s up? You two coming? I hear it’s almost time for dinner…”

“Yes, it’ll be an excellent time to see what you know about spoons!”

Riley met Maxwell’s eyes as they simultaneously rolled them behind his back. “Sounds like a party. Lead the way…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once dinner was over, Bertrand and Maxwell escorted her back to her room. Riley turned to them, smiling. “You know… we’re gonna have so much fun together!”

Maxwell held up his hand to high-five her. “Awww yeah! I can tell, you’re exactly what House Beaumont was missing!”

Bertrand kept his normal humorless stance. “It’s certainly been… an experience. I hope today has proven useful.”

Riley rolled her eyes and simply nodded. “Relax, I learned a few things today, don’t you worry.”

“Uh-huh. We’ll see just how much you’ve learned tomorrow in any case… Good night, Lady Riley.” Bertrand immediately exited the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Riley stared at Maxwell. “If that was Bertrand being so _excited_ to meet me, I’d hate to see what him being _furious_ is…” she said, smirking.

“Heh. Yeah… sorry about that…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just… didn’t want to scare you off right away.”

She stepped closer to him, not dropping her gaze. “First thing to learn about me… you’ll find it’s very difficult to scare me off so easily, Maxwell Beaumont.”

“Noted…” he replied, with a small smile, not taking his eyes off of her.

She closed the distance between them, bringing her arms around him into a warm hug. He breathed in deep, taking in the sweet scent of her cherry-blossom perfume, feeling her resting against him within the confines of his arms as if she were always meant to be there. “Thank you so much for bringing me here, Maxwell,” she said quietly, bringing a smile to his face and accelerating his heartbeat. “You’re such a good friend to Aidan…”

He swallowed hard. _Right. Aidan._ What was he thinking? She was way too cool for him. She deserved a prince. She deserved Aidan. She _wanted_ Aidan. It would never be Maxwell and Riley. This moment right here, right now… it did not belong to him. Not the way he wanted.

Fighting back the heartache, he broke the hug and forced a smile out. “You’re welcome. Good night, Riley! We’ll find you tomorrow to plan for the Masquerade. If you need anything, we’ll be in the suite next door! Otherwise… sleep well!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later in the night, she found herself tossing and turning, restless from lack of sleep, until she finally lay flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling in frustration. _How can I sleep when my whole life is changing?! I… I need to take a walk._

She quietly pulled herself out of bed and put on a set of warm clothes. She silently opened her door and slipped out into the night, finding herself walking the palace halls, watching the shadows dance in the moonlight along the walls. Eventually, she found herself in the courtyard and began walking among the gardens, running her hand along the fountain’s edge and the many flowers that grew along the walls.

A large tree growing against the front wall caught her eye. She followed its branches all the way up to what appeared to be the palace’s rooftop. After thinking for a moment, she grabbed onto the trunk of the tree and began climbing up, eventually making it up to the roof. Her eyes widened in amazement at the view of Cordonia that stretched out before her. It was gorgeous at night. _Wow… This is so beautiful._

After sitting down to gaze at the view for a few moments, she pulled out her phone, checking the time. It would be around the early evening out in New York at this point, so this would be a good time to contact the guys…

**Riley:** Hey… you guys working?

 **Carl:** I’m off. But Daniel’s stuck on the night shift, and it’s insane right now from what he last texted me.

 **Riley:** Care for a short VC?

An immediate video chat notification popped up in response. She smiled and opened it up to find Carl making faces at the camera. “Nice to see you too.”

“Heh. Nice to see royalty hasn’t spoiled you yet.”

“I _knew_ you would be checking into this before we talked.”

“Cordonia’s a small country. All I had to see was Aidan’s picture plastered all over the internet as Prince of Cordonia, and I connected the dots from there…” He smirked. “From waitressing to the royal palace, who knew?”

“Well… it’s kinda more complicated than that.”

“I figured. Catch me up.”

She leaned back and revealed every detail from when she left the bar the night of the bachelor party all the way up to just before they had started their video chat.

“Damn… so you basically have no idea what you’re doing…? And you’re there to compete with a bunch of strange women you don’t know just to marry Aidan, who you barely know yourself?” He tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow.

“…Pretty much.”

“And he has no idea you’re even there…”

“Right. Maxwell brought me here… He was the one who could see the chemistry between us.”

“Sounds like quite the friend to do all that for you two…” He started typing on his computer. “Hmm… Maxwell Beaumont?”

“Yes…”

He started rattling off the information that popped up in his search. “Maxwell Beaumont… of House Beaumont. Son of Barthelemy and Annabelle Beaumont, brother to the heir and Duke Bertrand Beaumont. Beaumont Estates is one of five of the Great Houses to Cordonia, and has a well-known reputation for ‘Beaumont Bashes’…”

“Are you seriously gathering intel on anyone I mention?”

“Just curious about the new crowd you’re with… Gotta make sure you’re being taken care of since we can’t be out there with you.”

“I can take care of myself just fine, Carl… you don’t have to be so overprotective.” She rolled her eyes.

“Heh. Trust me, I know. But you’re still my baby sister, and you’re the only one I’ve got, so… deal with it.” He winked.

A rustling in the tree behind her caught her attention. “Hold on,” she whispered.”

“What’s going on?”

She moved back slowly, holding the phone to her. “I think someone’s coming this way…”

“Riley…”

“Shh…” There was not very much cover on the roof for her to hide, so she kept her distance, hoping whoever it was wouldn’t notice her. A shadowy form popped up from the tree branches and stepped out onto the roof. She held her breath, mentally willing the person to walk the other way. Unfortunately, he turned in her direction. A second later, the figure stopped short, noticing her immediately.

“Whoa! What’re you doing out here?” came a familiar voice.

Her mouth dropped. _Drake?!_ Riley moved closer to view the figure in the moonlight, slowly revealing Drake staring at her in surprise. “What am _I_ doing out… Hey, what are _you_ doing out here?”

“Me? Well… to be honest, I’m trying to get away from everyone for a while. You?”

“Couldn’t sleep. Jet lag, you know.”

“Hmm.” He stared down at her.

“What? I’m not the only strange person up this time of night!” To prove her point, she pointed toward a lighted window on a balcony across the palace.

Drake gave an amused smile. “That’s… Aidan’s room. Heh, actually, you can get there from here, if you want to surprise him.”

She narrowed her eyes on him. “Ugh, you and Carl must share the same brain!”

“Who?!”

A loud laugh erupted from Riley’s phone, and Drake glanced down to see that she had been video chatting with someone. She held it up to him. “Carl, Drake. Drake, Carl.”

“So what did he say that made you say that?”

“He suggested I go climb into Aidan’s bedroom window…”

“Whoa, I didn’t mean… I… I just meant…”

“I think we all know what that means, and where that kind of thing leads, brother,” Carl said, still laughing.

“It’s like looking in a smart-ass mirror, isn’t it?” Riley smirked.

Drake raised an eyebrow at her.

“So, what’s your story? You don’t look very royal.”

“Oh, he’s royal, all right. A royal pain.”

“Hey!”

“I like him already!”

“You would!”

Carl grinned as his finger punched something on the phone. “Well… I’m getting a 9-1-1 from Daniel here. I think I might pop over to the bar to make sure Rick isn’t blowing up my kitchen. I’ll just leave you two friends to talk.”

“Wait, we’re not…” Riley started.

“No, we’re not…” Drake echoed along with her.

“Right. Well, baby sis, Daniel and I will catch up with you tomorrow if you’re not too busy playing princess. Love you!” He blew a kiss at the phone and waved, then glanced over at Drake. “Take care of our sister. She means the world to us.”

“She’ll be fine.”

“She’d better.”

“Good _night_ , Carl!” Riley waved and ended the call. “Sorry about him. He gets a little…”

“I get it.” Drake shrugged and moved to sit down. “Brothers can’t help being protective of their sisters… even if their sisters don’t want them to be.” A shadow passed over his expression as he sat, watching the view quietly.

Riley couldn’t help feeling like she had struck a nerve. “Well… I guess I should leave you alone…” She paused. “…unless you don’t mind some company?”

“Nope.” He gestured to a space near him. “Plenty of room to spare.” He cast a glance at her as she sat down next to him. The two of them leaned back on their elbows, enjoying the view in silence for a few moments. “This happens to be my favorite spot in the palace, by the way. Just me and the stars…”

“It _is_ quite a view…”

“No one else knows about it… so no one else comes up here… until you, that is.”

“It’s so isolated up here…” She leaned her head back and looked at him. “Are you worried I’ll ruin your spot? What if I’m up here all the time now?”

“You know, I think I’d find some way to tolerate it.” A hint of a smile crossed his face.

“So… why _do_ you come up here?”

“…I guess it just seems like a good escape. I mean, whenever all these courtly royal walls start closing in… being up here helps me feel normal again.”

“I think I know what you mean… Sometimes I can’t believe I’m really here…”

“I’ll say. It takes a certain kind of person to pack up and go to a foreign kingdom to try to win over a guy she just met.”

“Is this your way of saying you think I’m only here for Aidan?”

Drake blinked in surprise, sitting up and turning toward her. “Well… aren’t you?”

“Maybe I’m here for the adventure.” A guileful grin formed on her face.

Drake shook his head. “Well, in any case… if you want to last around here, you better be ready for tomorrow.”

“Oh?”

“The Masquerade Ball. You know, all the bowing and curtsying? There’s rules for everything around here.”

“So I’ve been told…” She looked ahead at the view, then back at him. “Anything you can show me?”

Drake laughed. “Sure you want to be learning anything from a _royal pain_?”

“I’m serious.”

“Sure, I’ll bite.” He rolled his eyes, smirking. He stood, helping her up, and the two of them faced each other. “Okay, pretend I’m Prince Aidan and we’re about to dance. You can’t just walk up and shake my hand or something. I’d bow to you… and you’d curtsy.” He took a bow, waiting for her to curtsy in response. Instead, she stood, looking at him thoughtfully. “Well, what?”

“Nothing… just interesting to see you act formal.”

“Ha ha. Now are we doing this or what?”

She smiled and finally curtsied. “Alright… and then what? If we’re going to dance…”

“I’d take you in my arms…” He held out his arms to her, taking one of her hands and settling his other hand at the small of her back. “And then…” He paused.

“And then…?” Her inquisitive brown eyes stared curiously at him.

“I…” _Damn_. He wasn’t exactly the dancing type, and on top of that, he was struggling not to admit she was more than _slightly_ distracting, with her features highlighted by the moonlight.

“And then we… stand here awkwardly until you remember?” Riley raised an eyebrow, squeezing his hand to get his attention.

He snapped out of it and took a step back from her, his arms dropping to his sides. “I… uh, what you do with Aidan at that point is up to you.” He looked out towards the view, grateful that the moonlight was not bright enough to show the minor blush that had crept into his neck just now. “So. That’s it. Now, we better go. I don’t want you to get in any trouble.”

“I can handle trouble.”

“Heh. Maybe you can.” He stared at her for a long moment and then looked away toward the view. “But you’re still new here. I don’t want to get you into any mess on my watch. Things here… it’s not like how it is in normal life, where you can just be yourself and do whatever you want. Here, there’s always someone waiting for some gossip to spread about you… something to use against you. I know what this place looks like… something straight out of a fairy tale. But don’t let it fool you. Most people don’t get a happily ever after around here. C’mon.”

They climbed from the roof back to the tree. As they got close to the ground, Riley could see the branches getting sparser. Drake dropped down from the tree first and held out his hand to assist her. She took his hand and he pulled her down, briefly holding her in his arms before he gently set her on the ground.

“Hey, Drake?”

“Yeah?”

“I just wanted to say… thanks… for your help.”

“You’re welcome.” He opened his mouth to say something more, but thought the better of it. Instead, he offered her a small smile. “Good night.”

“Night, Drake.”

His eyes followed her as she made her exit and he shook his head quickly. _Ugh, I’m blaming the whiskey for that one._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Bertrand perused the outfits Riley had brought over from New York, pretty much tossing everything aside with a look of contempt. “Not this one, too casual… Not this one, too American… Not this one… too, uh, stretchy?”

“What _exactly_ are we looking for?” Riley sat on her bed, holding her knees to her chest, watching him.

Maxwell smiled, waving his arm in the air dramatically. “The _perfect_ look for your debut!”

“My what?”

He put his arm down. “I’m sorry, I keep forgetting that you’re not used to all this. The first event of the social season is tonight… The Masquerade.”

“It’s the ball where all the suitors will be presented to the Prince, as well as to the King.” Bertrand glanced up before going back to tossing clothes from her suitcase.

Maxwell sat next to her. “While not everyone dresses in costume or mask, you can be sure that the ladies competing for Aidan’s attention will be pulling out all the stops.”

Bertrand looked disdainfully at the rest of the items in her suitcase. “I suppose it would be too much to ask if you even packed a costume appropriate for a black-tie affair?”

“I brought _a_ dress.”

Bertrand let out a long-suffering sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Maxwell waved his hands. “Well, we weren’t sure! So lucky for you, we’ve made an appointment at the palace boutique. Maybe you’ll find something you like better there!”

“I’ll check it out…”

“Remember. Tonight is _very important,_ ” Bertrand said sternly.

“You could end up getting to dance with Aidan!”

“ _And_ it’s your chance to make a first impression on all the influential people at court and to stand apart from everyone else!”

Riley took a deep breath and nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this…”

“Good. Well, I have some house matters to attend to. We shall convene later tonight.” Bertrand bowed and took his leave.

Riley looked up at Maxwell. “Hey,” she said quietly. “Do you really think Aidan will be happy to see me?”

“I don’t think… I _know_ he will,” he said, smiling comfortingly. “I’ve never seen him look at any woman the way he looked at you that night. Trust me, he was lost in your eyes the moment he saw you.” _And who could blame him…_

She smiled. “I am _so_ glad you’re here with me through this,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Thanks, Maxwell. I’d be so lost without you.” She slowly stood up. “Well… guess I’d better head down to that boutique. I’ll see you in a bit.” She headed for the door, then turned around and flashed him another smile. “Wish me luck.”

He waved and watched her leave the room. Then he looked down at the floor and sighed sadly. He glanced over at her nightstand, where a couple of her flower blossom clips lay, and he took one in his hands, cupping it gently. _Good luck, little blossom. You’re going to outshine them all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another part of the failed PB rewrite included the red carpet scene and the palace tour, which I thought wasn't a bad addition to the story, so I added it. The others included the MC sneaking into Aidan's window and a kissing scene with Drake (which, for anyone following the Drake journey, could either be a good thing or just plain ruined it for those who really loved the slow burn storyline). I added a line about Aidan's window, but she obviously didn't go there, and I really changed up the Drake scene. In the PB scene, he finds the MC wandering the palace and takes her to the roof himself. In the end, all I left in that scene was some dialogue and some obvious crushing on the MC on Drake's part. PB had already made the crush obvious in the first chapter originally when he checked her out at the bachelor party, so it wasn't too far off. ;-) But unfortunately for Drake here, though we all love and adore his snarky self, this will not be his love story! :-P


	3. Just One Moment

** Chapter 3: Just One Moment **

Riley stepped into the palace’s largely stocked boutique and gazed around at all of the unbelievably gorgeous gowns hanging from racks. As she walked, she nearly didn’t see the dark-haired woman right in front of her, in her underwear.

The woman gasped in surprise, holding a dress up to cover herself. “Oh!”

Riley backed up a step. “Eep! Sorry! I didn’t realize someone was already here…”

“No problem. To be honest, I didn’t have an appointment.” The woman smiled and held out a hand to her. “I’m Hana. I suppose you’re also here to prepare for the Masquerade tonight. Since you’re here and not already dressed, I must assume that you’re just like me… searching desperately for something to wear.”

“More or less.” Riley shook her hand. “I’m Riley.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Riley. The seamstress seems to be running late, but I can show you around. This boutique has the most exquisite gowns. Let me just slip my dress on…” Hana began pulling on the dress she was holding, frowning as she struggled to get the zipper completely up.

Riley stepped toward her. “Need a hand?”

“That would be amazing.” Hana smiled as Riley moved behind her, sliding the zipper up. She picked up a matching mask for her dress, settling it on her face before turning back to her with a grin. “Thank you. Not many girls here are like you…”

“What? Helpful?”

“ _Nice._ ” Hana gave a quick spin in her dress, her full skirts twirling. “Ah, this dress is perfect!” She looked at Riley thoughtfully. “Now, what about you? One must have a mask for the Masquerade! Have you seen the angel costume? You’d look amazing in white. Or there’s also a red one, if you’re feeling more… devilish.”

“I’ll take a look…” Riley stood at the rack and looked between the two costume gowns, eventually deciding on the devilish red sleeveless dress. She took it into the dressing room to try it on and smiled as it fit her perfectly. She placed the devil horns atop her head and fitted the sequined black mask to her face. She stepped out of the dressing room to show Hana the final result. “How do I look?”

Hana smiled and nodded in approval. “Hotter than fire, my dear!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

His heart skipped a beat as he watched her walk down the main staircase toward him that evening. Again, she had managed to choose an outfit that not only highlighted her beauty and grace, but also commanded anyone in the room to take notice of her presence. He met her at the bottom, bowing to her before taking her hand and brushing a small kiss across her knuckles. “My lady.”

A light blush stained her cheeks behind her elaborate mask. “So formal, Maxwell…”

He smiled down at her and took her arm. “Nice outfit. You look great,” he said quietly.

“Thanks.” She reached up and lightly touched the ornate gold mask that adorned his face, before dropping her gaze to view his dark red and black ensemble. She smiled up at him. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Mr. Beaumont.”

“What? This old thing?” he joked, making her giggle. He guided her to the doors of the grand ballroom. “So, there’s one other thing I should mention… As soon as you enter, you tell the herald your name and title so that you can be announced.”

“What is my title?”

“You don’t really have one, but since my family is sponsoring you, then you could technically be considered a ‘lady.’ Or we could go with your hometown. I guess I should have asked before. What’s your last name?” _Good one, Beaumont…_

“Riley Mason.”

“Well, it’s not as classic a name as Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, but it’ll do…”

“Hey!” She shoved him lightly, grinning.

“Totally kidding. It’s a beautiful name,” he said, laughing.

The doors to the grand ballroom opened, and they moved forward to make their entrance. Maxwell bent down and murmured his name to the short herald, who promptly announced him to the court. “Lord Maxwell Beaumont!”

The herald then turned to her, waiting expectantly. “Please announce me as Lady Riley Mason.”

He nodded his head and turned to announce her as she walked into the ballroom. “Lady Riley Mason!”

Maxwell leaned down to whisper to her. “I’ve got to talk to Bertrand for a sec. You’ll be okay on your own, right? Just mingle.”

Riley nodded as he smiled and squeezed her shoulder before taking off. She took a deep breath and looked across the room, looking for anyone approachable to speak with. “Mingle… right… I can do that.” Suddenly, an unfamiliar masked lady with fiery scarlet hair took hold of her arm. “Hey!”

“Forgive me for being forward, but I’ve never seen _you_ here before. I always notice when the heralds announce a new name. I make it a _point_ to know all of the ladies at court,” the strange woman said with a cunning smile. “I’m Lady Olivia Vanderwall Nevrakis, Duchess of Lythikos.” She released her arm and stood back to study her. “Lady Riley Mason… I can’t say I’m familiar with your house. It must be nouveau.” She quirked an eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip. “Well, seeing as you’re the new girl at court, let me give you some advice. When you’re presented to the King, you should kiss his shoe when you curtsy to him.”

“Really…” Riley couldn’t help the slight sarcasm that fell out.

Olivia smiled, placing her hand to her chest. “It’s Cordonian custom to show deep respect and reverence for the monarchy. You’re so lucky that I was here to warn you!”

_Yep, sooo lucky._

“Otherwise, you’d look completely ridiculous.”

“Thanks… If you’ll excuse me, there was someone I was hoping to speak with.”

“Of course!”

Looking out across the ballroom, Riley could see Hana talking amongst a group of finely dressed ladies and began heading toward her. Hana smiled as she saw her and waved her over. “Hello again. I’m glad to see you made it!”

“Thanks!”

Hana waved her arm to show off the ballroom filled with costumed noblemen and women. “So, this is the Masquerade! What do you think of it?”

“The Masquerade is wonderful!” she replied, smiling as she looked around at the fancy costumes and servants rushing around with trays of drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

“I can tell you’re going to enjoy yourself here! To be honest, it’s very refreshing to be around someone so excited.”

“Fancy galas are just second nature to you?”

“When you’ve gone to as many as I have, they can lose their charm… unless, of course, you find the right companions!” She opened her mouth to say more when her eye caught something behind Riley’s shoulder. Riley turned to see someone had caught her eye from across the room. “Please excuse me, there’s someone I need to greet… but maybe we can talk later?”

“Sure.” She nodded. As Hana walked off, Riley looked out across the ballroom, noticing Drake standing alone in an inconspicuous corner. She headed in his direction.

As she approached him, Drake eyed her, then nodded and gave her a stiff bow. “Good evening, my lady.”

She smirked. “So you _do_ have manners.”

His mouth dropped as he looked her up and down. “…Mason? Is that you?”

She beamed. “Yeah. You didn’t recognize me?”

“I… I was caught off-guard. I wasn’t expecting you to…”

“Look like I actually belong here?”

Drake exhaled and brought his whiskey to his lips, glancing at her over his glass. “Looking the part doesn’t mean you’re going to be welcome here, you know.”

“Well, you’re as charming as ever.”

“Hah. Compared to most of the nobles here, I’m your best friend.”

“I believe you.”

He raised his glass to her. “Congratulations. That’s the first smart thing you’ve said.”

She glared at him. “ _Thanks._ ”

He shrugged. “Look, I’m not trying to be a jerk. I’m just trying to help.”

“You have a very peculiar way of helping,” she said crossly.

“Look, I’m just saying the things that I wish someone would’ve told _me_ a long time ago.”

Riley crossed her arms and stared hard at him. “You know, for someone who acts so jaded, you sure like pretending you know more about this place than anyone else.”

“Who says I’m pretending? I actually grew up here. I know a lot the rest of them don’t.” He took another drink of his whiskey.

“Are you just saying that, or do you have anything that might be useful for me?”

“Sure. Plenty.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, I don’t know… how about how Aidan _really_ feels about you? Or about how you could share the first dance with him instead of waiting in the receiving line?” He smirked as her eyes flashed a glimmer of interest. “Thought so.”

“The first dance? You… really know how to make that happen?”

He leaned back against the wall, his eyes mocking. “I do. But I usually don’t play favorites with the ladies around here. Why should I help you?”

“Come on! You’ve been kind of a jerk to me so far. You owe me one.”

He drew his body up from the wall at that comment, shocked. “A jerk? I haven’t… I mean…” He sighed and offered somewhat of an apologetic glance. “Hell, I have, haven’t I? I’m not…”

“Let me finish that for you. You’re not easy to get close to?”

“That’s being kind.”

“I’m a kind person.” She flashed a big grin.

He didn’t smile back, but gave a small nod in agreeance. “I guess you are. Huh.”

“Don’t sound so surprised. Wait, let me guess. You’d already made up your mind about me that first night we met.”

“Honestly? Yeah, maybe a little.”

“So tell me then… what’s your read on me?”

“You’re… fun. You’re adventurous. I guess I might have to start calling you fearless, too, though I’m not sure you should be, around here.” He cleared his throat, looking away as he took another sip of whiskey. “Y’know, I haven’t seen Aidan light up the way he did when he was with you in New York since… maybe ever.”

Riley smiled. “You really think so?”

He looked at her from over his glass. “I know a spark when I see one, Mason.”

“It sounds like Aidan feels the same way I feel around him…”

“Good, because if he somehow does end up choosing you, I don’t want to see him get his heart broken.” Drake set his glass down momentarily, staring at her with a serious look in his eyes. “He is my best friend, you know.”

“Drake, the last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt someone like Aidan.”

“That’s all I need to hear.” He picked his glass back up and took another drink.

“Now, I believe there was talk of making sure I had the first dance tonight. How do you plan to pull off that magic trick?”

“The same way I know how Aidan feels about you. By seeing things around here that others don’t.” He downed the remainder of his whiskey and set the glass down. “Now come on. We’re getting out of here.”

Riley watched him start to leave the ballroom. “Huh? But the dance is about to start!”

Drake turned and looked at her, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “I told you that you’d have to trust me, didn’t I?” He turned and walked toward the hall, motioning for her to follow him with the curl of his hand. He led her down a long corridor before opening a wide metal door to the palace kitchen.

Riley looked around, amused. “You took me to… the kitchen? Drake, if you wanted a meal with me, you could have just asked.”

That did it. He rolled his eyes. “Ha ha. Very funny.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley caught sight of a servant carrying a large silver platter rushing out from the prep station without checking her surroundings. She was about to step right into a slick spot of water just in front of her. “Hey, watch out!” Riley yelled, causing Drake to turn around.

It was too late. The young woman slipped and began to tumble to the floor. Drake watched in amazement as Riley tore right past him, catching the servant by her arm with one hand and steadying her tray with the other. The servant looked at her in shock. “Whoa. Thank you. How did you…”

Riley flashed her a friendly smile. “Let’s just say, I’ve averted my share of waitressing disasters before.” She glanced down at the servant’s uniform shirt. “Hmm… It looks like you got a little something on your uniform. Here, let me help you.” She moved over to the sink and moistened a clean rag with water, sprinkling it with a dash of salt. Quickly and easily, she was able remove the stain from the woman’s shirt.

The servant smiled down at her newly-cleaned shirt. “Wow, good as new! Thank you so much!” She took the tray of food and scurried quickly from the kitchen back to the ballroom.

Drake watched the whole scene thoughtfully, then glanced back over at Riley. “Looks like the sink splashed some water on your dress.”

Riley shrugged, not even batting an eye. “It’ll dry in a minute. No one will even know it was there.”

His eyes shot up in surprise, actually impressed. “Huh.”

“What?”

“Just… I didn’t expect that.”

She shrugged and waved her hand in dismissal. “Come on. It was just a little stain. No big deal.”

Drake shook his head. “It’s not that… If that servant had nearly bumped into almost any other person in that ballroom, she’d be getting yelled at or fired…” He grimaced. “Most likely both.”

“Just for a simple mistake?” _Anger management, anybody?_

“Hate to tell you this, but most of the people out there care more about their fancy clothes and their social standing than the actual people serving them.” He motioned for her to keep following him.

_Yay, more snobbery._ Riley looked at Drake as he led her through the kitchen. “A mindset _you_ obviously don’t share.”

He glanced back at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Other than the obvious, you’re not exactly dressed for a Masquerade.”

He shrugged. “I don’t usually go in for these sorts of things.”

“Yet here you are. And I know you don’t have to be.”

“It’s not about me. It’s about Aidan.”

Riley smiled. “So you’re here looking out for him? Aw, Drake! That’s sweet!”

Drake rolled his eyes. “No need to get all… whatever that is about it. Now, come on. Let’s get you that dance I promised.”

She followed Drake to a small servant’s exit at the back of the kitchen and looked through a small window that faced out into the ballroom. “We’re right behind Aidan! And is that… the King?!” She stared at the regal gray-haired man dressed in his blue uniform bearing the royal Cordonian crest.

Drake nodded, then pointed to the exit door. “Step right through here, and you’ll skip that whole line of women hoping to dance with Aidan. He always would have chosen you for this if given the chance. Now he’ll have one.”

She looked at the door, then turned to him. “Before I go, answer me something… Why are you helping me? Really.”

“I’m not doing it for you.” He hooked his thumbs in his pockets, waiting for her to leave. “You’re gonna be late.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Okay. Either way… thanks for tonight, Drake.”

Drake nodded again, and she headed out the servant’s exit, catching a glimpse of a half-smile on his face before the door closed between the two of them. _Yeah, you know you can’t hate me!_ She began walking over to where Aidan stood.

Aidan stared at the beautiful masked woman in the red devil costume approaching him, and utter curiosity filled his mind as he tried to figure out who she was. Her movements were graceful, her eyes were captivating, and her smile inviting. He drew in his breath as she finally reached him, her dress flowing around her as she dipped into a smooth, elegant curtsy. “Hello…” he said, his eyes not once leaving hers. “You’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t think we’ve met…”

“Oh? And how does a prince greet a beautiful mystery woman?”

Her voice. There was something beautiful and yet strangely familiar that he could not touch on. His interest piqued and heart rate picked up a little more. “With a kiss on the hand, I hope.” He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, again never breaking his gaze. “Now, I believe I know every other lady here, so your very presence is baffling me. I can’t stop my mind from racing. Is she a high-ranking aristocrat from a distant country? Or a wealthy woman of the world? So who are you? What brings you here?”

“You brought me. I think all the women here tonight are here for you.”

“In a manner of speaking. But no one’s surprised me yet like this.”

“You’ll be even more surprised when you figure out the truth.”

“And what is that?” The mystery was driving him wild, and yet he found this cryptic conversation oddly thrilling at the same time, somehow feeling the end result was going to reveal itself to be something truly remarkable.

She stepped slightly closer to him. “No guesses yet?”

Aidan stared hard at her for a moment, his eyes roaming her figure, until something finally connected, and his eyes widened. _Riley._ All of a sudden, he was back in New York for a split second. Meeting her. Sharing a drink at the club. Running away to the Statue of Liberty. Kissing under the moonlight over the ocean. “Riley…” he said, almost in a whisper, a delighted smile slowly breaking out across his face. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“So… this is a good surprise, I hope?”

“The best.” He couldn’t stop smiling. “But how did you get here?”

“Maxwell and his brother are sponsoring me. He brought me here to join the other suitors.”

“Really?” It now dawned on him why Maxwell must have wanted to leave New York later than him. _I can’t believe he’d do this for me…_ “That’s amazing! I can’t believe you came all this way for me.” The music of the orchestra grew louder, and around the room, couples began to pair up and take to the dance floor. Aidan held out a hand to her. “It seems you’re just in time tonight. The first dance is beginning. Would you do me the honor?”

Riley took his hand, smiling. “I would love to.”

Smiling joyfully, Aidan swept her up into his arms and onto the dance floor, where the ladies of court looked on with surprise and jealousy. Behind them, she could see Maxwell pump his fist and smile at her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_First Dance locked in. Score one for House Beaumont._ He caught Riley’s eye as she and Aidan began their dance, and he smiled for her, pumping his fist in celebration of their house’s informal victory in the competition. His hand slowly came back down, and the smile slowly dissipated into a façade of contentment as her gaze turned away from him to fix solely on Aidan as they twirled around on the dance floor.

Her smile was exultant, and her dress spun smoothly as she effortlessly moved across the dance floor with him. She was the definition of beauty and elegance. Once again, he could not stop his heart from pounding at the sight of her. He couldn’t believe that out of all the places he would stumble into, it would be a tiny dive bar in New York, where he would literally discover the perfect woman.

_For Aidan._

He shut his eyes, tightening his jaw. His conscience really had the annoying habit of interrupting his thoughts.

_Don’t forget House Beaumont. Your brother needs you._

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was true. His brother was counting on him more than anything to help him get Riley through this competition and win Aidan’s hand. House Beaumont’s reputation was riding on this. They were already pretty much on the brink of ruin, thanks to the mounting medical debt left from their father. Bertrand already had so much on his plate these days without having to worry about his brother’s mistakes.

He couldn’t make any mistakes this time. He couldn’t disappoint his brother. Riley belonged first and foremost to Aidan and House Beaumont. And he shouldn’t forget that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I’m glad you made it to the ball.” He held her close to him as they moved across the dance floor, gazing down at her.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” She watched as Aidan simply stared intensely into her eyes, smiling. “What?”

“After that night in New York I… I was tempted to believe that everything… that seeing you… was just all a dream. And now here you are.” As the music shifted, he gracefully spun her out from his embrace. Just as she reached the end of the spin, she embraced his hand and rolled tightly back toward his body. He smiled happily as he gracefully drew her against him once more.

“Aidan… I know we have something special. I want to see what it can be.” Her hand squeezed his softly.

His smile grew, and inside his heart soared at her words, momentarily letting the world disappear around them. “I feel the same way.” He took a deep breath, reality setting in, and his smile was one replaced with a tender, but somber expression. “We’re not in New York anymore, though, Riley. The rules here are different.”

“So I’ve noticed… any advice for me?”

“Don’t let the other ladies intimidate you. Most of them are actually very nice, but they can be…”

“Competitive?”

“Exactly. But you can’t really blame them. That’s the whole reason for this, after all. The entire series of events is set up not just to give me time with my potential matches, but also to give my parents, the Council, and the people of Cordonia time to get to know the future queen. From now on, everyone will be watching you.”

“That sounds fun!”

Aidan smiled again. “I knew you’d be up for the challenge. I’m sure you’ll charm them just as you’ve charmed me.” He sighed, still smiling, but his eyes revealed a touch of sadness. “Unfortunately, the ballroom floor isn’t the best place to talk. We only have a few more minutes before I must switch my partner…”

“In that case, I want to know… how are you holding up?”

His eyes shot up in astonishment. “At a time like this, you’re asking about me? That means a lot to me, really. This whole thing… it’s a lot of pressure, but I knew what I was getting into. The princes of Cordonia can only have so much say over who they marry, and I understand why. It doesn’t make it easier, but it’s what I was raised for.” Just then, the music changed, and people around the room began to switch their partners. Aidan gave her a rueful smile. “Sorry, our time is up…”

She sighed, offering him a reassuring smile. “I understand. We really _aren’t_ in New York anymore, are we?”

“No. I hope I’ll see you again later tonight, if you’ll save a dance for me.” He took her hand and kissed it once more before the two of them separated.

Maxwell joined her as she walked away from Aidan. “Aidan looked _really_ happy to see you.” He smiled at her encouragingly.

Riley smiled, the smile not quite meeting her eyes. “Yeah, but is that going to be enough? I also have to impress the royal court and the people of Cordonia…”

He stopped her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Hey… look at me.” She looked up at him, not saying anything. “Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of time for that. And my brother, Bertrand, and I will be there to help you every step of the way. Remember, we want you to win this thing. We’re going to do everything in our power to make that happen.”

“It sounds like you have a plan.”

He smiled down at her. “I always do. And right now, that plan is to present you to King Constantine. Bagging the Prince’s first dance was a fantastic start, but now you’ll want to make a good first impression on the King, so he’ll consider you a worthy match for his son.”

She glanced in the direction of King Constantine, then looked back at Maxwell. She nodded, taking a deep breath. “Okay, I’ve got it.”

Maxwell patted her shoulder and started walking with her again, steering her over toward the king, who was seated on a raised dais. “Your Royal Highness, may I present Lady Riley Mason?”

King Constantine nodded toward the two of them. “Of course…” He looked expectantly at Riley.

Riley dropped into a low curtsy. “Your Highness.” _Suck on that, Olivia!_

King Constantine smiled in approval. “It’s a pleasure to meet the suitor Lord Maxwell’s house has chosen. I hope you enjoy your time in Cordonia.”

Riley returned his smile. “Thank you.” As Maxwell escorted her away, she glanced up at him. “ _Lord_ Maxwell, huh?”

“That’s my title. You could refer to me as ‘His Lordship’ from now on if you really want.” He grinned playfully.

“Eh, I like you better as a Maxwell. So… what now?”

“Now, it’d be a good idea to get to know the other courtly ladies. They’re your competition, but you might be able to make some of them your allies. House Beaumont will do everything we can to help, but the more people you can get on your side, the better.”

“I’m on it… _Your Lordship!_ ” She saluted him, making him laugh and shake his head, as she headed outside. She joined Olivia, Hana, and the other noble ladies as they were getting drinks from an ornate table display.

Olivia eyed Riley suspiciously as she joined the group, selecting a drink of her own. “Riley, you were _awfully_ familiar with the Prince. You didn’t say you knew him.”

“Olivia… I’ve met the Prince once before.” Riley glanced at her over her glass.

She huffed in derision. “I can’t imagine when a girl like you would’ve met the Prince.”

Riley smiled artfully against the edge of her glass. “Let’s just say it was once upon a time.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes at her, clearly not happy with her answer. “Sounds like you’re hiding something. I don’t like secrets. And I don’t like _you._ Listen, you should know that whatever happened between you and Aidan, you don’t really have a chance with him. You might have been able to capture his attention when it was just the two of you, but you can’t keep up with the ladies here. We’re from the finest families in Europe, and we’ve been training and preparing our whole lives to marry a prince. You can’t just waltz in here at the last minute and steal him from us.” She gestured to a woman that Riley recognized from the red carpet yesterday. “Kiara here is the daughter of a diplomat and is fluent in ten languages…”

Kiara smiled. “Le Prince va tomber amoureux de moi.”

Olivia gestured toward a sweet-almost-innocent-looking, dark-haired woman. “Penelope can track her lineage back through six hundred years of royalty.”

Penelope nodded in her direction. “It’s an honor to represent my people here.”

Olivia waved slightly in Hana’s direction, almost as if that were too much of an effort for her. “Even _Hana’s_ been training to learn the courtly graces of conversation and seduction.”

Hana’s mouth dropped. “Uh, thanks?”

“But if anyone’s got the inside track with Prince Aidan, it’s you, Olivia. You’ve known him his entire life,” Penelope said.

Olivia nodded smugly. “It’s true. We grew up at the palace together as childhood friends. Before his older brother abdicated, it was just assumed Aidan and I would be married one day. I’ve got no intention of losing him to one of you harpies.” She grinned condescendingly. “No offense.”

“Wait a second…” Riley glanced around at the group. “…I can’t believe the rest of you let Olivia talk like this.”

Penelope shrugged nonchalantly. “She’s only stating the facts. There’s no point in being emotional about it.”

Kiara provided a near similar expression. “We all knew what we were getting ourselves into when we came here, Riley. Didn’t you?”

Olivia wore an arrogant smirk. “Don’t worry, ladies. I’m sure little Riley will learn her place here eventually…” She then glared and put a hand to her hip. “Or else I’ll make her life a living _hell_.”

_Oh no, I’m so scared. Guess I’d better quit now…_ Riley glared right back. “And what, exactly, do you think my _place_ is here?”

“Oh, somewhere below Penelope and Kiara, but you know? Probably above Hana. Though I’m surprised Hana’s here at all after what I heard about her last attempt at an engagement.”

Hana’s mouth dropped again. “ _Olivia!_ ”

“Well, we all know that your family will throw you at any available bachelor as long as it means you can climb another rung on the social ladder… but honestly, it’s a bit much to expect that Prince Aidan is going to accept _damaged goods_.” She laughed haughtily.

_Wow, what a bitch!_

Hana’s face turned bright red. “I… I need to… _Excuse me._ ” She pushed past everyone, but felt someone catch her arm right before she went inside. She looked back to find Riley gently holding her back.

“Hana, wait. You don’t have to listen to them.”

Hana could feel the tears threatening to push themselves out of the corners of her eyes. “Thanks, but… what she’s saying… it’s… I’m sorry, Riley…” She shook her head and walked through the doors to the palace.

Riley turned to Olivia, furious. “Seriously?!”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Please. Girls like her shouldn’t bother being here if they can’t handle the truth…”

Riley interrupted her. “Olivia… you’re acting like a child, not a queen. If this is how you behave, I wouldn’t trust you with childproof scissors, let alone a kingdom!”

Olivia’s mouth dropped in shock. “I… you can’t…” she sputtered out.

“I just did!” She waited for Olivia to retort, but the woman stayed silent. _Finally._ “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going after Hana.”

Riley turned toward the entrance of the palace, rushing after Hana. After running up the grand staircase, she caught sight of her out of the corner of her eye, dashing down a hall into a nearby room. She ran down the hall, finding the door still open, and discovered Hana in her bedroom, sitting on her bed with tears running down her face. Hana looked up in surprise as Riley appeared in the doorway. “Riley…” she said, wiping the tears from her face quickly. “…what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Riley sat down on the bed next to her.

Hana drew in a shaky breath, trying to smile. “That’s… that’s so kind of you. Thank you.”

“It was the least I could do.”

Hana looked down at the floor. “I know I shouldn’t let Olivia bother me. You probably think I’m making a fool of myself.”

Riley put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I think you’re being human. I mean, you’d have to be a robot to not let Olivia get under your skin when she talks to you like that.”

“Heh. I guess you’re right. The real problem is…” She frowned. “Olivia is right.” She looked up at Riley sadly. “Last year, my parents arranged a very advantageous match for me. But only a few weeks before the wedding, the groom pulled out of the arrangement. It was handled quietly, but it was still regarded as rather scandalous. Since then, my parents have been desperate for me to find another match. They’ve all but thrown me into this competition. I thought Cordonia was far away enough that I could escape my past… but it looks like the rumors have followed me here.”

“Hana… a broken engagement is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’s not?”

“In the real world, stuff like that happens all the time. Sometimes things just don’t work out. It doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with you. At the heart of it, I think we both know why Olivia singled you out.”

“Why?”

“Olivia bullies you because you’re her biggest threat. Look at yourself! You’re gorgeous, well-composed, compassionate, articulate… all of the things that Olivia _isn’t_.”

A light blush formed in her cheeks, disbelief entering her eyes. “I don’t know… she _is_ kind of gorgeous…”

“Okay, maybe I’ll give her that one, but you’re _clearly_ a front-runner for the Prince’s choice. It’s no wonder Olivia’s threatened by you.”

Hana looked up at her. “But you’re not.”

“I’m not like Olivia.” _Thank god._

Hana finally smiled. “Well, Riley, I see that I’ve found myself in your debt already.”

Riley shook her head and patted her shoulder. “It’s not a big deal.”

“On the contrary, your words have spoken volumes about your character. I won’t forget this…” She leaned over, hesitantly giving her a small hug in thanks. She then turned to look at her vanity mirror, wiping at her face. “I must look a mess…”

“Hey… nothing a quick touch-up won’t fix.” Riley smiled. “You’ll be fine.”

Hana nodded, smiling as she dabbed at her eyes and reapplied some makeup in the mirror. “There. Much better.”

“Ready to go back?”

“Yes.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley felt a tap on her shoulder as she stood in the doorway, looking out into the ballroom. She turned to find Maxwell standing behind her. “Hey.”

“Hey. How are you holding up out there?”

“I’m holding up fine.” She looked back out at the ballroom. “I just…”

“…need a break?”

She looked back to see him offering his arm to her. “Yeah…” she said, putting her arm in his.

“I know a good place to get some air.” He smiled down at her and led her through some hallways until they reached a small, nondescript side door. The door led them to an immense lush garden filled with all different varieties of bushes and fruit trees. And in the center of it all was a considerably tall, thick tree with an old rope swing and what appeared to be the remnants of an old treehouse near the very top.

Riley gazed in wonder at her surroundings. “Wow… this place is amazing.”

He smiled. “I’m glad you like it.” He pulled her toward the treehouse relics. “C’mon.”

“Is it safe?”

“We’ll find out!”

She laughed and shook her head as she followed him up the oddly-shaped ladder to the floor of the treehouse. The floor was pretty much all that was left of it… and a few railings. Together, they sat at the edge, legs dangling over, arms perched on the railing in front of them.

Maxwell glanced at the ground several feet below them. “You know… when I was a kid, that drop seemed a lot bigger. Now, not so much.”

She leaned her head on the railing, looking at him. “Did you play here as a kid often?”

“Me, Aidan, and Drake would a lot, whenever I was able to visit the palace. I imagine they got more use out of it,” he said, looking around at its remains. “Sure has been a while since I came back this way though.”

“Why’d you stop? Seems like such a fun place.”

He smiled sadly. “Had to help my brother out.”

“What could Mr. Know-It-All possibly need help with?” she teased lightheartedly.

He chuckled. “Bertrand’s really not so bad once you get to know him. He wasn’t always the man you met. He’s been through a lot. I guess I have too… we just deal with it in our ways.” He frowned as he looked ahead toward the trees ahead. “We had already lost our mom just earlier. And then our father went into a coma and just never came out of it. Bertrand was immediately put in charge of House Beaumont as a child, way before he should have been ready. I’ve always tried to be there to help him, but… I’m not exactly the house-running type.” He gave a half-laugh. “Plus, I sort of have this reputation for being a screw-up… so it’s probably for the best.”

She placed her hand on his arm. “You’re not a screw-up.”

He smiled down at her, playfully nudging her ribs with his elbow. “Heh. I got you fooled, don’t I?”

She shook her head, smiling, and the two of them sat in silence, looking out at the skies and the garden before them.

“My parents are gone too,” she said, breaking the silence. Maxwell glanced over to her, not saying a word. “I never knew my mom,” she said quietly, looking up at the sky. “She died giving birth to me. It was just me and my dad up until…” A hint of anger darkened her eyes and her jaw tightened.

Maxwell instinctively put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a one-armed hug. “Until…?”

She continued staring into the sky. “My father was a police officer. He was… killed… in the line of duty… I was only seven.”

“I’m so sorry, Riley. What happened?”

She opened her mouth to speak, then sighed softly, leaning her head against him. “I’m sorry. I rarely talk about it, so…”

“Hey…” He moved back just enough so she could look up at him, and he gave her a small smile. “For what it’s worth, I’m sure they’re both proud of you.”

“Thanks, Maxwell. I’m sure your parents would be just as proud of you.” She pulled him into a small hug.

“All right… enough talking about the sad stuff. How about some fun?” His eyes brightened. “These gardens were one of _the_ best places for hide-and-seek.”

“Is that so?” A playful smile formed on her face. “Is that your way of saying, let’s play?”

“As long as you’re ready to _lose_!” He laughed as he slipped out of the railing and jumped out of the treehouse, landing onto the ground below. He looked up and waved. “Come on… I’ll help you down the ladder. I don’t want you to get…”

She came sailing down, holding her heels in her hand and landing smoothly on the grass next to him, giggling at the shock on his face. “What? I’ve climbed in and out of my share of trees before.”

“That… was awesome.” A spirited grin lit up his face.

She slid her shoes back on. “So! Are we going to play or not?”

“Yep! I’ll hide and you try to find me. Don’t get lost!” He laughed as she tried to push him and missed.

“Feeling optimistic, are we?” She winked as she covered her eyes to count while Maxwell dashed away. “…28… 29… 30! Ready or not, here I come!” The gardens were eerily silent in the moonlight as she quietly moved about, carefully searching through bushes, behind trees, and around garden sculptures as she went. She strained to listen in the air for any movement or change. The garden was larger than it appeared. _I’m not giving up that easily!_

She pressed forward, nearly jumping a foot back as her face ran into a thin spiderweb along one of the trees. She shook her head, trying to slow the pounding of her heart. _Okay, now this place is officially creepy._ A frog started croaking in the distance. Then she heard a small, almost inaudible laugh. _Maxwell._ She whirled around but saw nothing. “Give up,” she called out. “I _will_ find you.”

Maxwell bit his lip, trying very hard not to laugh as she moved further and further away from him. He had literally been right in front of her at one point, pretending to be a garden statue. _Hmm… I wonder…_ He crept up slowly and silently in her direction, keeping close to the shadows so he wouldn’t be seen. Suddenly, she started to turn, and he immediately resumed statue position. His eyes followed her as she walked in his direction… only to pass him up again. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, forcing himself not to laugh once more. _Okay, that’s it!_ He began sneaking soundlessly up behind her, ready to pounce.

Riley kept walking, still wondering where in the world he could be hiding. Then she paused. _Wait… was that statue even there before?_ As she turned around to look, she was startled to see Maxwell standing right behind her with a mischievous grin. “Ahh!”

“Time’s up! I win!” he said, grabbing her around the waist as she squealed in surprise. The two of them went tumbling to the grass, giggling uncontrollably as they fell, laying side by side under the moonlight.

Riley turned her head to face him, smiling brightly. “This was so much fun, Maxwell. Thank you,” she said, catching her breath. “It’s good to have normal times like these to take the pressure off.”

He turned his head to her, smiling and taking her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. “I’m glad you had fun.” God, she was incredible. His inner voice that consistently reminded him that she was Aidan’s and that he needed to make sure she won this competition for the good of House Beaumont was temporarily quashed by the exhilaration he felt in this moment. It was _his_ moment. She had fun with _him_. That happiness, that smile, the connection they shared… all of it was _his._ Aidan and House Beaumont be damned for just one moment.

If only that moment could be frozen in time forever…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The opening strains of a waltz began to play as the two of them returned to the ballroom. Maxwell turned to her. “Looks like we’re just in time. The last dance is starting up, and I think you and Aidan deserve this one…”

Riley turned to see Aidan talking to Penelope. “…and of course, _you’re_ looking dashing tonight…” Penelope told him, fluttering her eyes flirtatiously.

“It might be a little rude to cut in, but…”

“Is it okay if we dance together twice at the same ball?”

“More than just okay! If we pull this off and you nab both the first _and_ the last dance? It would be epic! It’s all the court would talk about!” Maxwell grinned with excitement.

Riley took a deep breath. “Okay. I know what I have to do.” She looked across the ballroom only to discover Aidan looking back at her. He smiled joyfully as soon as he saw her meet his eyes, and she couldn’t help smiling back.

A third pair of eyes watched the sparks fly between the two of them once again, erasing his unexpected euphoria from the earlier moment he shared with her. And although he was smiling on the outside for them, he could feel himself dying a little more on the inside.

It was just one moment. And now it no longer seemed to matter.


	4. A Good Friend

** Chapter 4: A Good Friend **

Riley strolled across the ballroom towards Prince Aidan, ready to claim the final dance of the evening. She could hear the ending bits of the conversation between him and Lady Penelope as she approached the two of them.

“…and that’s how my family acquired its fifth golden poodle statue…”

_Did she just say_ poodle _statue?_

Aidan smiled politely. “I can relate. Don’t get me started on the queen’s antique goblet collection…”

Riley made her way between the two of them. “Excuse me… may I cut in?”

Penelope’s shoulders slumped slightly as she pouted. “If you must…”

She smiled. “I must.”

Aidan turned to her as Penelope reluctantly walked away. “You handled that very well…”

“I try.”

“You do more than that. Honestly, you seem as comfortable here as you did back in New York.”

“Shall we dance?”

The orchestra began to play a dreamy waltz, as Prince Aidan took her hand, leading her out onto the dance floor and taking her into his arms. His eyes swept over her as they swayed slowly to the music. “You look amazing in that dress, you know…”

Her eyes sparkled through her mask. “Yes, I wanted to make an impression…”

He raised his arm to twirl her, then folded her back into his arms, gazing into her eyes. “You certainly have… I, for one, can’t keep my eyes off you…”

“Won’t that make it hard to dance?” She smiled impishly.

“I’ll manage. Just follow my lead.”

With Aidan’s strong arms around her, she found she was easily able to match his movements. “If I didn’t say this earlier, you’re an amazing dancer.”

Aidan smiled down at her. “My parents would be thrilled to hear that all those years of dancing lessons paid off. As for me, I’m just happy this waltz allows me to steal another moment alone with you, Riley…”

“One dance wasn’t enough?”

“With you? Never.”

Riley glanced around the ballroom, feeling the eyes of the nobles in attendance observing the two of them waltz across the dance floor. “Though I wouldn’t say we’re ‘alone’… There’s only about a hundred people watching us right now.”

Aidan nodded. “Unfortunately, it’s about as much privacy as we might expect… though I do have a trick up my sleeve…” He slowly guided her across the ballroom floor and waltzed the two of them out of a set of French doors to an unoccupied balcony. “We can get a little more privacy out here at least.”

“Nice moves.” Riley breathed in the fresh air, taking in the view of the moon and starry sky above them.

“I try. Now, I want to know how you are. I trust you’re being well taken care of here?”

“Maxwell’s been very sweet so far. He flew me out here and set me up with a room and everything. Bertrand’s been… cordial.” _To put it mildly._

Aidan nodded in understanding. “Ah, yes, the Duke… He’s… _different_ from Maxwell. More serious. But their house has an excellent reputation, mostly due to him.”

“I see…”

“What about Cordonia? What do you think of my home so far?”

“I love it!”

“Really?” His face lit up with happiness.

“It’s beautiful. I love the architecture, the elegant events, the music. It’s like something out of a fairy tale.”

“I’d hoped that you would love Cordonia as much as I do. It’s… well, it’d be rather unfortunate for a queen to dislike her kingdom.”

“Oh, right…” she said slowly. “I guess that’s a pretty important quality in a queen-to-be…”

Aidan nodded solemnly. “Especially given Cordonia’s recent history…”

“What do you mean?”

“These last few decades have been somewhat rocky for us… the first queen abandoned my father and my older half-brother…” He furrowed his brows in thought. “I’m not clear on the exact details, but…”

“Do you know why she left at least?”

Aidan shook his head. “She couldn’t handle the pressures of courtly life. She came from a lesser noble family, so she hadn’t been long at court before the marriage… and my own mother passed away when I was still a child…”

Riley’s eyes grew sad. “You lost your mother? I’m so sorry.”

Aidan smiled down at her, squeezing her hand affectionately. “Thank you. It was a long time ago though.”

“And so the current queen…?”

“She may not be my mother, but she is a wonderful woman who’s done her best to lead Cordonia alongside my father. Instability in the monarchy is always dangerous for a small kingdom like ours.” His expression grew somber. “Weakened currency, a rise in crime, a drop in tourism… all because of the lives of the rulers.”

“So that’s why you care so much about finding the right queen.”

“Exactly. I can’t just follow my heart… as much as I might want to. There’s too many other people I need to think about…” He paused, shaking his head as he looked away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to burden you with this.”

Riley reached a hand up to his face, turning him to face her. “Aidan… you can tell me anything. I’m here for you. You’ve got a lot resting on your shoulders.”

He smiled, taking her hand back into his. “True, but I can at least take a moment to sprinkle in tales of my misspent youth…”

She grinned. “I wouldn’t mind hearing those either.”

“One summer when I was only eight, my father decided to throw me into the rigors of governing. He made me sit through hours of meetings for three weeks straight. Finally, I couldn’t take another minute. I decided to liberate myself…”

Her eyes shot up in surprise. “Wait, _you_ played hooky?”

He laughed. “Yeah. Drake and I stole a monster supply of chocolate from the kitchens, and we hid out in the gardens. We spent the evening making up games to play in the garden maze. Our best one was maze-tag. You can see the entrance to the maze over there, by the hedges…”

Riley looked over at the area he was pointing to—an area lush with greenery and hedges expertly carved out to form an intricate maze. “Maze-tag? Let me guess. You played tag in the maze?”

Aidan rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “You’ve got it. Not our most cleverly named game, but whoever was ‘it’ had to run after the other person in the maze. You lost if you were ‘it’ by the time the other person got to the center. We played that for hours, until we nearly collapsed from exhaustion. But we were too stubborn to go back. We used the last of our strength to climb up a tree in the center of the hedge maze and vowed to live out there. We fell asleep in that tree, and I only woke up when I fell off the branch and landed flat on my back, swearing up a storm.” He paused, giving her a sheepish smile. “I hope this doesn’t destroy your image of me as a proper prince…”

“What surprises me most is that you know any swear words. You’re always so proper.”

“Maybe in front of you…” He winked playfully.

She laughed. “Well, I want to meet the Aidan who plays hooky and sleeps in trees.”

“I do miss those carefree summers. But I’m afraid those days are behind me.” On the next swell of the waltz, he guided her through the doors to the ballroom. Once inside, he pulled her close so that they were swaying together as the music gradually began to wind down. He sighed softly. “This song is coming to an end, and the Masquerade with it. We’ll have to say good night soon…” He couldn’t mask the disappointment in his voice.

“Is this how it’s going to be for the next few months? Stealing a couple minutes here and there?” She looked up at him, moving closer against him.

He gazed back down at her. “As I said, things are different here… I should spend some time with the other girls to be fair to them. But believe me when I say I wish this night didn’t have to end.”

A playful sparkle entered her eyes. “Who says it has to?”

“Uh-oh. The last time you go that gleam in your eye, we ended up on a boat to the Statue of Liberty…” A small smile broke across his face.

“Do you regret it?”

“Never. What are you proposing?”

“Would you like to meet me at the garden maze?”

“Yes…” He hesitated. “…but my bodyguards would never allow me to go out there alone.”

“You wouldn’t be alone. I’ll be there.”

“They’d probably like that even less. We shouldn’t…”

“Then why are you still smiling?” she asked, smiling back at him with a mischievous look.

She was right. He couldn’t stop smiling. “Because we both know how much I _want_ to.”

“In that case… I’ll be out there in twenty minutes. I hope I won’t be alone.”

“Riley…”

“Yes?”

The waltz came to an end, and everyone in the ballroom applauded. Just before Riley moved away, Aiden spun her close, his head bent toward hers. “I’ll see you in twenty,” he murmured against her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was exactly twenty minutes later when Aidan was finally able to join her by the garden maze. Riley laughed as she caught sight of him walking towards her. “Cutting it a little close there?”

“I was trapped in a conversation about table seating for tomorrow’s picnic, but I managed to tear myself away for you…” He held his arm out to her. “Shall we?”

She took his arm, smiling as they headed toward the gardens together. “It really is beautiful here at night.”

“I wish I could take the credit, but the gardens out here were my mother’s vision… I think it was her last wish before… well.” His face grew pensive as he looked up at the stars blanketing the night sky. “Sometimes when I stroll this garden at night, I think of her…”

Riley laid her head against his shoulder, squeezing his arm comfortingly. “I’m sure she appreciates that.”

“Thanks.” He smiled down at her, covering her hand with his. “The garden holds a lot of good memories as well.”

“This is where you and Drake played maze-tag growing up, right?”

“Yeah. You probably think it’s silly, don’t you?”

“Sounds like a lot of fun. In fact… Tag! You’re ‘it’, Aidan!” She clapped him on the shoulder, then took off running into the maze.

Aidan laughed, shaking his head as he began running after her. “Cheater!”

Despite her head start, he came close to catching up with her. Up ahead, Riley was able to see the maze entrance and the wet grass shortcut straight to it. She took the shortcut, picking up speed and managing to stay ahead of him. “Ha!” _Now, Aidan said there was a tree at the center…_

She wove through the maze, navigating the maze’s twists and turns, heading for the top of a large tree she could see in the distance. She rounded the last corner. Before her was a straight path to the center of the maze where a swing swayed prettily from a large tree. “Whoa…” She turned as she heard Aidan’s footsteps behind her, and she quickly ducked into the bushes.

As Aidan rounded the corner, he slowed down, noticing she had disappeared. “…Riley?” He cautiously continued forward, slowly walking past her hiding spot.

“Not so fast!” Riley dove forward from her hiding spot and tackled him, the momentum knocking both of them off-balance.

“Whoa!” Aidan shouted in surprise as he fell over with her in his arms. They both toppled over, laughing as they rolled together before coming to a stop near the swing. Riley lay on top of him as the two of them caught their breath, and he reached up to brush a loose strand of hair from her eyes. “We made it. The center of the maze…”

She smiled proudly. “…And I do believe I win.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Easy. I’m on top!”

He laughed. “Hey, we don’t know who tagged who at the end there… I want a second ruling.”

She leaned down slightly, grinning. “Well, we don’t always get what we want… even princes…”

He chuckled. Then his face grew serious as he gazed up at her. “Something about you… It just feels… right to be around you.”

She blushed. “Aidan… are you sure it isn’t the flowers and the twinkling lights?”

“I’m positive…” His eyes gazed intently at her.

“I feel the same way…” she said quietly.

“Riley…” He reached up to cup her cheek, his fingers warm against her skin. “I…” His eyes strayed down to her lips.

Slowly, she leaned down, placing her own hand to his cheek, her lips capturing his in a heated kiss. Her hands curled around the back of his neck, her fingers intertwining with his hair. He let out a low groan in response, his hands curving around her as he brought her body tighter against him.

_What are you doing?! This is wrong! Don’t do this to her!_ Suddenly, he shook himself and pulled away, breathing hard. “We _shouldn’t_ … I don’t know what will happen, and I…”

She sighed, leaning her forehead against his and closing her eyes. “I know.”

Aidan placed a hand under her chin, gently lifting her to face him. “What is it about you, Riley? When you’re around, you make me want to break all the rules.”

She smiled softly. “Maybe you need someone like that in your life.”

“Maybe I do.” He stroked the back of his hand against her cheek. “This was… unexpected, but somehow perfect.”

“You laughed more in this maze than you did all night in that Masquerade.”

“I guess I really needed this… Thank you.” He stood up, smiling as he held out a hand to help her up.

“No problem. I had fun too.” She laid her head against his chest, pulling him into a tight embrace, smiling as she felt his head rest on top of hers. “Will I see you soon?”

He pulled back, nodding. “Yes, tomorrow. It’ll be very busy, but I’ll find the time…”

“I look forward to it.”

He lifted her hand to kiss it. “Until then.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley looked through her dresser, finding a nightdress to change into to prepare for bed when she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door to find Bertrand and Maxwell standing outside. “Maxwell! Bertrand! Come in.” The two of them strode in, Maxwell finding a seat on the upholstered bench next to her bed while Bertrand stood nearby.

“So, I know it’s late, but we just came to say…” Maxwell broke out into a huge grin. “You. Were. Fantaaaaaaaaaastic!”

“Really?” Riley smiled in relief.

Bertrand cleared his throat and gave a small nod. “It wasn’t a terrible showing. It’s true everyone seems to be talking about you—”

“And how _awesome_ you are!” Maxwell broke in.

Bertrand eyed Maxwell, annoyed. “Despite an excellent first evening, we still need to stay on our toes—”

“And so we’re here to make sure you’re ready for tomorrow!” he interrupted again.

Riley looked between the two of them. “Tomorrow?”

Bertrand folded his hands behind his back. “I take that to mean you haven’t prepared for tomorrow’s event?”

Maxwell bounced excitedly in his seat. “It’s the Derby!”

Bertrand raised one of his giant eyebrows at her. “You _know_ what a derby is, right?”

“Of course. A derby is a fancy horse race.” Not that this wasn’t common knowledge to the average New Yorker.

Bertrand smiled. Yes, an actual genuine smile. “ _Very_ good! Further, the press will be covering the event. They already got a glimpse of you, but it’s important to continue to cultivate the right image.”

“They don’t get a lot of opportunities to see the royals, except during the social season…”

“Everyone in Cordonia will be influenced by what they write about you.”

“We’re a monarchy, but we serve the people. You’ll need their approval if you’re going to become queen.”

“Speaking of which, you should consider your attire for tomorrow.” Bertrand stared at her closet warily. “The Queen will be present at the Derby, and the right outfit will go a long way to earning her favor. I recommend going for a Derby look that’s modern to impress the Queen.”

Riley nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’ve made an appointment for you in the morning at the boutique already…” Maxwell gave her a thumbs up.

“We’ll speak more tomorrow right before we head out for the Derby. Good night.” Bertrand gave a slight bow and exited the room.

Riley sat down next to Maxwell, glancing over at him. “So… the Queen… no pressure at all, huh?”

He smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry… you’re going to do great!” He watched as she cast her eyes down, staring at the floor. “What is it, Riley?”

“Just been wondering what I’ve really signed up for…” She looked up at him with uncertainty in her eyes. “Tonight opened my eyes to so much. I mean, I already knew a lot of what was going to happen, thanks to you guys, but…” She sighed. “I guess what I’m really wondering is… is this really worth it?”

He sat back, shocked. “Worth i… of course, it will be worth it, Riley!” He steeled himself for the next subject. “I mean, you danced with Aidan… and you got to spend some time with him… right?”

“I did.” She smiled radiantly as she looked at him.

He swallowed hard. _Game Face, Beaumont! Game Face!_ “Sounds like you had fun then,” he said, forcing a smile.

“It was wonderful to see him again, dance with him, talk to him… we even snuck out to the garden maze together to be alone.” She put a hand to her heart, recalling the memory. “Then we kissed…”

_Hold it together!_ his mind screamed, as his heart painfully beat against his chest. His forced smile remained fixed in place as he waited for her story to run its course, so he could find a way to escape.

She dropped her hand, sighing. “And then, he pushed me away.”

His racing mind came to a screeching halt. _Wait… what?!_

“He said we shouldn’t be doing this… I mean, I guess I understand?” She hugged her arms to her sides. “What am I doing here, Maxwell? What if I’m not good enough to win this competition? Am I just setting myself up to get my heart broken?”

“Oh, Riley…” He put an arm around her and pulled her to him, folding her into a big hug. “Don’t… don’t think like that.”

They sat together in silence for a moment. It was here he knew he had an opening to turn things in a new direction. He could easily tell her not to pursue Aidan so hard, to just go with the flow of the competition and let someone else take the crown and be done with it. And to hell with House Beaumont, right? Practically all his life, he had been trying to help his brother for “the good of House Beaumont.” Just because Bertrand already sacrificed his heart for the house, did that mean he needed to do the same?

…Absolutely. But not because of House Beaumont. It was because he lived for making the people he loved happy. He could never stand to see someone he cared about unhappy, and he knew he would do anything to see them smile. Even if it cost him something in the end.

“Hey,” he said, finally pulling back and looking her in the eye. “I’ve been friends with Aidan for a long time. I know he would never hurt you. If anything, I’m sure he’s trying to protect you.”

“I know.” She looked down, then back up. “That’s not what I’m worried about. It’s him not being able to choose who he wants to be with.”

Maxwell forced a smile, his eyes adding a look of determination. “And that’s what we’re going to change, Riley. We’re going to make _sure_ you win this competition so you two can be together.”

She finally smiled again. “You sound so sure of yourself.”

“Of course I am! I believe in you. I’ll be here for you through this the entire way.” He squeezed her shoulder affectionately. “And Bertrand too… can’t forget his many, many lessons.”

She giggled. “Proper fork placement is essential!”

“Don’t you forget it!” He tried to look stern, but ended up laughing a moment later.

“That man has to slip in a history lesson about _everything._ ” Riley looked around her room thoughtfully. “You know… when we did the tour, I’m surprised he didn’t launch himself into a full-fledged lecture on the history of my bedroom for the grand finale!”

“He obviously ran out of _interesting_ stories to tell,” Maxwell laughed.

Riley stood up, grabbed at her collar as if she was wearing a stuffy sweater vest, and put on her best Bertrand frown. “Maxwell Beaumont!” she said with the closest she could muster as an imitation to Bertrand’s grumpy voice. “How _dare_ you imply that I have no knowledge of what is obviously the most interesting bedroom in the entire palace!”

Maxwell fell over on the bench, helpless with laughter. “Oh. My. God!”

She slowly strode around the room, one hand still across her chest. “Why this room is rich with history of romantic intrigue!” she continued in her Bertrand voice. “Did you know that back in the mid-1700s, in this precise room, a metalsmith by the name of Nathaniel Hall crawled right through that very window to seduce the lovely Lady Valentina Willoughby, who had already been betrothed to Lord Theodore Wilham?”

Riley sat down on the bed, putting on a captivated expression as she looked up at an invisible person. “Wow!” she said, back to her normal voice. “What happened?”

She stood back up, transitioning back into her Bertrand impersonation. “Well… there’s not much to say really. The man tried to seduce her with the gift of a heart carved inside a metal apple.” She pointed to a literal metal apple with an engraving of a heart sitting on her vanity.

He was dying. Tears ran down his cheeks and his whole body shook with silent laughter as he clung to his sides.

She sat back down, clutching her heart dramatically and sighing dreamily. “That is sooo romantic.”

Standing up, she was Bertrand once more. “Absolutely not!” she said, looking horrified. “He was a _commoner!_ It was highly inappropriate!”

Maxwell somehow made his way over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Okay,” he laughed, out of breath. “You have to… stop… before you… kill me.”

A teasing gleam entered her eye, clearly enjoying making him laugh. She continued the impression, frowning at him. “Maxwell, what has gotten into y—eep!” She squealed and jumped back against her bed as he poked her side. She glared playfully and threw a pillow at him, grabbing another in a succession. “En garde!”

“Oh, so it’s like that, huh?” He was still out of breath and partially giggling, but he managed to swing at her, smacking her with the pillow.

“Yes!” She jumped on top of her bed, smacking him over the head with her pillow.

“Hey!” He jumped onto the bed with her, and the two of them battled it out for the next few moments, striking each other back and forth with their pillows, laughing, until finally they collapsed next to each other out of breath.

The two of them lay there in companionable silence for a while, just staring at the painted ceiling above them.

“Maxwell?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for being there for me tonight… I really needed a good friend here with me.” She brought her arm around him, hugging him close to her.

Friend. Yep, he had succeeded in turning her back in the right direction rather than his. Not only did he bring the smile back to her face and the light back into her eyes, he did the right thing, the _responsible_ thing. For Aidan. For House Beaumont. At least that’s what his mind tried to tell the cries of his anguished heart. Stifling the pain with a smile on his face, he pulled her into his arms, holding her just as tightly, nuzzling his chin against the top of her head. “I’ll never _not_ be there for you, Riley...”

A moment later, the two of them turned their attention towards the door as a loud knock shattered the peacefulness of the room. Maxwell slowly released her from his arms and went to answer it. He opened the door to find a member of the King’s Guard waiting for him. The guard bowed. “Apologies for the disturbance, My Lord,” he said. “The Duke said you were prepping with Lady Mason for tomorrow’s activities. I’m here because Prince Aidan has requested your presence.”

Maxwell nodded. “Of course.” He looked over at her. “Sleep well, Riley.”

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. “Good night, Maxwell.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She lay in the dark, her room only lit by the bits of moonlight that managed to shine through the window. Again, she was wide awake, unable to keep still, her heart pounding with a combination of the anticipation of the Derby, of meeting the queen, and of competing for Aidan’s hand. She was finally excited again for what came next, even though things still felt a little overwhelming.

Her phone chimed with a video chat notification. _Perfect timing!_ She opened it up to find Carl waving at her. “Good timing! Everybody left my room for the night not too long ago!”

“Wow, second day in and you’re already throwing parties in your room? I’m so proud.”

“Why’s it so dark in there?” Daniel’s head popped onto the screen.

“I just went to bed, and… wait… _both_ of you are there?” She reached over to turn on her bedside lamp.

“I said we’d try to call tonight if we could reach you. Figured it was easier having Dan come over for a few drinks until it was a good time to give you a call.”

“Will there be anything left of the bar when you two get back?”

“Adam’s in charge tonight. He’ll keep Rick away from sharp objects and matches, I promise.”

“So, Riley… Carl updated me from your last call. I can’t believe it! I guess I really did you a favor getting you to cover that bachelor party table, huh?” Daniel grinned.

She laughed. “You’re right. I owe you one. It’s already been a crazy couple of days so far.”

“Well, catch us up since I last called, princess. Did you talk to your prince yet?”

“Yes. You should have seen his face when he realized it was me behind that mask,” she said, laughing, as she started to catch them up on the events of the night—making friends with Hana, the ongoing rivalry with Olivia, meeting the King, the first dance with Aidan, her time in the treehouse garden with Maxwell, the last dance with Aidan… “And then, once the music ended, we later met at the palace’s maze garden.”

“Alone?” Daniel beamed excitedly.

“Yes…”

“Annnnnd?”

“Oh my god, Daniel…”

“What???”

“That reaction is code for she kissed him, Dan.” Carl smirked. “Maybe more.”

“Carl!”

“Am I wrong?”

“…Only about the ‘more’… because he stopped it pretty much after we kissed…” Her smile faltered as she trailed off.

Carl disappeared from the screen, returning seconds later holding a fresh beer in his hand, saying nothing. The three of them sat in awkward silence for a moment.

“It’s not a big deal,” she finally said.

“Is that so…” Carl asked, more of a statement than a question.

“It’s complicated.”

“Oh man, I hate that word, “Daniel groaned. “Why do you girls _always_ use that word? How hard is it, really?”

“What _he_ said.” Carl gestured to him with his beer.

“This time, I literally mean _complicated_. It’s not like it’s me and him alone, meeting up for coffee and having a few dates here and there, and then deciding to move on to the next level. I am in a literal competition for his hand in marriage. And he has to share the decision to choose whom he marries with his parents, the council, and the entire country. I have to _win_ the competition events and literally the approval of everyone in the country if I am going to be with him. If that’s not complicated, then tell me what is.”

“You win!” Daniel raised his hands in defeat.

“I still don’t excuse the man for pushing you away, but that’s the protective brother in me.”

“What _he_ said. Did he not see what he had in front of him? He did realize you two were alone, right?!”

“You two are crazy, but you know I love you.” She smiled at them. “I do have Maxwell and his brother helping me out with this though. He’s really confident that I can win this thing and he’s promised he’ll do whatever he can to help.”

Daniel looked over at him. “Which one is Maxwell again?”

Carl glanced back at him. “Maxwell? He’s the one that…” He paused, something hitting him as he turned his eyes back to Riley. “…that convinced Riley to go to Cordonia in the first place.”

“Ohh.” Daniel’s eyes lit up with a similar expression as he turned back to look at her as well.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just sounds like a good _friend_.” Carl moved his beer up to his mouth, hiding a subtle smile.

“He is. He’s been really great with everything so far. I swear I’d be so lost with this competition without him helping me.”

“Well, I guess we’ll be calling you princess for real soon enough then, thanks to him, right?”

“We’ll see about that.” She smiled, shaking her head as she glanced up at the time. “I really need to get some sleep. I have to get up early to prepare for the next event tomorrow… or actually, _today_ now. I’ll be attending a Derby this time.”

“Nice. You’ll have to call us again when you get a chance.”

“I’m going to be in the Cordonian news apparently too, if you want to start following that channel.”

“Definitely bookmarking that!” Daniel grinned, pulling out his phone and typing something out.

“All right, guys. Good night, love you both!”

“Good night, Riley!”

She shut down her phone, plugging it back into the charger, and leaned over to shut off her bedside lamp. She turned over, facing her window, as she laid down to go to sleep.

_Back in New York…_

Carl stared at the blank screen for a moment before reaching over and shutting it down.

Daniel glanced over at him. “So was it just me, or is she into…”

“Oh yeah.” Carl grinned as he picked up his unfinished beer and took another drink.

_And in Cordonia…_

As she laid her head against the pillows, she noticed the faint scent of Maxwell’s cologne left behind from their pillow fight. She smiled softly as her eyes grew heavy. As she drifted off to sleep, she subconsciously cuddled closer, drawing her arm around the pillow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Maxwell, come in.” Aidan stepped away to let him into the room. The two of them walked out to the balcony, taking a seat. “So…” He looked at him. “…that _essential errand_ you needed to run in New York that couldn’t wait…”

Maxwell smiled. “What do you think?”

He shook his head, still in disbelief. “I honestly keep thinking this whole night was a dream… and that I’m going to wake up any moment now to the beginning of the Masquerade as it would have been. Greeting nobles and possible prospects, feeling the strain of keeping up a polite façade to the public, wishing I was anywhere but here…” He paused, staring at him. “This isn’t a dream, right? This is all happening?”

“This is real, Aidan. Riley is sleeping on the other side of the palace as we speak.”

He put his face in his hands for a second, then pulled them down to rest on his knees. “I can’t believe this.”

Maxwell’s smile wavered slightly. “I… thought you’d be more excited about this. I mean, you seemed really happy out there at the ball tonight.”

“Oh I’m elated!” Aidan looked up, smiling. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see her again. It’s just… I’m worried for her.”

“Why worry? She’s going to be awesome, Aidan. You saw how she did tonight.” Maxwell clapped him on the shoulder.

“I have no doubt she’s up for the task. But you know how these events are… and I did warn her how competitive these women get. Some are just…”

“Evil witches?”

“I was going to say vindictive…”

“Well, she’s already taken on Olivia and survived.” Maxwell grinned.

“Very funny.”

“Seriously though, she’s got me and Bertrand guiding her the whole way through this. With your favor, our help, and her awesomeness, she’s a lock for this thing!”

“I suppose. I did ask Drake to look out for her too. She could use all the help she could get. There’s just so much to this competition…”

Maxwell could feel frustration and a bit of protectiveness starting to well up inside him. What was the point of him pretending to want these two together if Aidan didn’t want to believe in her? “Riley can do this, Aidan.” He leaned forward in his chair, staring hard at him. “Come on. I want to hear you say it too. It’ll help.”

Aidan put a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, Maxwell,” he said. “I do believe that she can do this. My head is still reeling from this day, and… you’ll have to forgive me. It’s just wonderful to see her, and I’m so afraid at the same time to lose that.”

“We won’t let that happen, Aidan. By the time this is over, you and Riley will be together.” He swallowed hard, forcing back his discomfort and compelling a smile to appear.

“Thank you for this, Maxwell. I never even dared to dream I’d have a chance at being happy, but now? Thanks to you, there may be some hope after all. You’re a good friend.” The two of them stood, ready to call it a night.

Maxwell nodded to him. “Good night, Aidan.”

Aidan clapped him on the shoulder. “Good night, Maxwell. You’re the best.”

As Maxwell headed for his room, he stopped just outside Riley’s door, staring at the ornate pattern in the moonlight showing from a nearby window. _You’re a good friend_ , Aidan’s words repeated in his head.

_Yeah_. He sighed miserably. _Sure I am._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Riley arrived for her boutique appointment, finding Olivia putting on her outfit for the Derby—a flashy sea green dress topped with a decorative hat of yellow feathers. Olivia turned to see her in the doorway. “Oh, I’m surprised to see _you_ here,” she said arrogantly. “I thought you’d have gone home by now. Surely you’ve realized that you don’t have a chance at winning.”

Riley crossed her arms, meeting her stare. “Olivia, surely _you’ve_ realized you don’t need to hurt others to protect yourself.”

“Huh? I…” Her mouth hung partially open as she searched for a retort.

“Shhh… it’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. Look, I know we’re set up to be rivals, but that doesn’t mean we have to dislike each other.”

Olivia glared, still struggling to find her words. “But… Aidan…”

“Whatever else is going on, we don’t have to hurt each other.”

She shook her head, looking uncomfortable, but managed to find her voice again. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, Riley, but you… you’re not going to fool me.” She turned away coolly and strode toward the door. Then she paused, her shoulders slumping slightly as she gave a small sigh and turned back to look at Riley. “…Look, I know you’re probably going to embarrass us all with your lack of fashion sense later, but… try to avoid doing that. You’ve probably never been to a derby, but you really must look the part. A runway-worthy ensemble is going to get you noticed by the press… but that’s just my recommendation.”

Riley eyed her suspiciously, an eyebrow slightly raised. “Uh-huh. Is this like the last time you gave me advice?”

“No, I… never mind. Forget it.” Her expression transitioned back to her usual look of disdain. “I’ll see you at the races later… And I won’t be holding back.” She turned and marched out of the boutique.

Riley stared after her for a moment. _Hmm… perhaps there really_ is _a human being living underneath all that ice somewhere._ She turned to survey the dresses on the rack. _Sooo… Olivia says the press would like something runway-worthy… but Bertrand wants me to wear something modern to impress the Queen… Probably best to stick with Bertrand’s recommendation for now…_

Her eyes settled on a dress with a white low-cut sleeveless top and a pink floral skirt. Nearby, she found a stylish black-and-white-ribboned hat. She tried them on in the dressing room, smiling as she admired the outfit in the mirror. _Very chic! Hope the Queen likes it!_ She took a deep breath as she stepped out of the boutique. “Derby, here I come!”


	5. Down at the Derby

** Chapter 5: Down at the Derby **

“Alright, real quick before Bertrand gets here…” Maxwell said, sitting down quickly on the bench by her bed. “So, at the lawn picnic, you’ll have to eat with perfect civility…”

Riley laughed. “I’ve _got_ this, Maxwell. I won’t stuff my mouth, pick my teeth, or stab Drake with a fork…” She winked. “…no matter how tempting that last one may be.”

He chuckled. “Right. Well, Bertrand said I should go over _everything_. Speaking of which, how would you address Bertrand?”

“I suppose I would address Bertrand as _Your Grace_.”

“Right! And in case it comes up, his full title is Duke Bertrand Beaumont of Ramsford, also known as Duke Ramsford.”

As if he had summoned him by saying his full fancy name out loud, a knock on the door sounded. When Maxwell answered it, there stood Bertrand in the door, hands folded behind his back. “Maxwell. How’s progress?”

Maxwell nodded, smiling. “As planned! Riley and I were just about to review her entrance to the Derby and how to get out of a car without flashing the press…”

“Adjust skirts before moving and keep your knees and feet together while swiveling out!” Riley smiled as she rattled out the steps that had been repeated to her many times over.

Bertrand frowned, unimpressed. “ _Anyone_ who can run an Internet search can spout of that kind of protocol. We’re asking you to be a _lady_.” He turned to his brother. “Maxwell, I hope you don’t mind if I take the liberty of testing Riley myself.”

“Pretty sure it doesn’t actually matter whether or not I mind…” Maxwell casually leaned his arm against the bed railing.

“Hmph. Indeed.” Bertrand eyed him warily, then turned to Riley. “Riley, let’s pretend I’m meeting you for the first time.” He walked over to her. “Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Riley Mason.”

She plastered on a polite smile. “The pleasure’s all mine, Duke Ramsford.” She dipped down for a small curtsy.

Bertrand then took her hand with his right hand, kissing the back of it. He stepped back. “Now, what did I do wrong?”

“You used the wrong hand. You should have taken my hand with your _left_ hand. Otherwise, it’s an insult.”

“Very observant of you.”

“And you thought I wasn’t learning anything.” She smirked.

“Don’t get too complacent. You’re only ever one mistake away from a scandal.”

She glared at him. “ _Thanks_ for the reminder.”

“Anyway, the real reason I came was to inform you that our limo awaits to take us to Honeyhill Downs…”

Riley’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, a limo?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Minutes later, the three of them were riding in a limo towards Honeyhill Downs. Bertrand turned to Riley. “Now as we mentioned earlier, how you come across to the Cordonian people is very important, and the press can make or break you. What the press writes, the people read. If the people love you, then it’ll be easy to convince them you deserve their prince.”

“So you’ve got to _impress the press_ , so to speak.” Maxwell winked. “You’ll be surrounded by them as soon as we pull up to the Downs.”

“All right… what kinds of questions should I be expecting?” She looked between the two of them.

“It’ll depend on who’s doing the interview…” Bertrand said. “They’ll start with easy questions, asking who you are, where you’re from, that sort of thing.”

“People want to understand your story… so think about how you want them to see you.” Maxwell smiled.

“Then the hard questions… I don’t know what they’ll ask, but…”

“Be myself?” Riley grinned.

“Heavens, no.” Bertrand grimaced. “Be a future queen who loves Cordonia and acts with grace and poise. And for the love of king and country, if they ask you about Cordonian apples, make sure you take the questions seriously!”

“Cordonian… apples?” She cast a questioning eye at Maxwell.

“It’s the national fruit, and one of our most important exports.”

“Ah, got it.”

Bertrand looked at her skeptically. “Do you? How confident are you feeling about this?”

Riley smiled, with a slight bounce in her seat. “I feel great! It’ll be fun.”

Bertrand shook his head, still doubtful. “I hope your overconfidence won’t be your downfall.”

Maxwell smiled and shot a finger gun her way. “Well, I believe in you.”

“Thanks, Maxwell.” She swiftly moved over to sit next to him, pulling out her phone. “You know what? This moment calls a selfie!”

“Yessss!” Maxwell threw his arm around her, making a face in the camera. “Let’s do this!”

Riley looked over at Bertrand, who was staring at the two of them. “Bertrand, get in on this!”

“Absolutely not! I do not have time for such debauchery!”

“Your loss!” Riley rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to Maxwell. They took several shots together, making various faces. Riley laughed as she scrolled through the pictures. “Aww, we look awesome!” She stopped at one particular shot where Maxwell had his arm loosely across her shoulders, and her leaning her head against his chest, the two of them smiling happily. “Pro shot right here.” She grinned.

Maxwell stared at the photo, smiling warmly. “Looks great…”

Riley held her hand out. “Here, give me your phone. I’ll punch in my number so I can send the picture to you.” Maxwell pulled out his phone, handing it over to her, and she called her phone from it to add her number to his contacts. As she did this, a text message came in at the top of his screen.

**Grace:** _Maxwell, thank you so much! You really didn’t have to do this…_

“Grace just texted you.”

Maxwell’s eyes widened and he took his phone back. “Uh, thanks,” he said nervously. “I’ll get it later.” He pasted on a smile. “So how about that pic?”

Riley stared at him for a moment. Then she shrugged, smiling as she sent the photo in a text to him. “There you go!”

Maxwell pulled up the photo in his phone, his heart swelling at the image of the two faces beaming back at him. “Thanks, Riley…”

The limo pulled around, arriving at the racetrack. Ladies and gentlemen wearing bright colors and big hats paraded through a throng of press reporters jockeying for interviews behind a line of velvet stanchions. Riley stared out the window, wide-eyed. “Wow… it’s so exciting. I feel like I’m at a fair…”

Bertrand’s look of disdain was right on cue. “A ‘fair’? This is no county fair where you weigh pigs and eat pie. This is _the_ outdoor event of the social season…”

Maxwell smiled at her reassuringly as he opened the door to the limo for her. “This is your stop, my lady.”

Riley looked at him nervously. “…You’re coming with me, right?”

“No. We don’t need to be interviewed.” Bertrand waved his hand in dismissal.

“Okay… but where should I go after I talk to the press?”

“The ladies vying for Aidan’s hand have their own section. Just continue down the red carpet and search for the pink tents and you’ll be fine,” Maxwell said. “We’ll see you out there.”

She slid out of the car, barely getting two steps out of the door before a swarm of reporters approached her, nearly hitting her in the face with a flurry of microphones. She glanced back nervously at Maxwell, who gave her an encouraging nod.

“Remember what Bertrand said! Easy questions first, hardball questions later. You’ll do great!”

She took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing…_ She turned to face the press as the car doors closed, and the limo drove off.

One reporter waved his hand, calling out to her. “Over here! Donald Brine from the Cordonia Broadcasting Center. We’ve heard about the new lady on the social scene! What’s your name?”

She put on her best smile. “Lady Riley Mason from House Beaumont.”

“Our viewers care about getting the real story. Tell us about yourself!”

“I’m just a regular woman, like many out there. A girl from New York whose heart has led her to be swept up in the affairs of nobility.”

“How’s that going for you?”

“It feels like I’m living in a fantasy.”

“A fascinating spin… now I’ve heard early rumors that you’re Prince Aidan’s favorite… What do you think makes you stand out?”

“Prince Aidan first noticed me because he couldn’t figure me out.”

“Interesting… can I get a photo of you?”

“Of course!”

“Throw us your best look!” Riley struck a proud, aloof pose, her eyes sparkling as the cameras went off. “Wonderful. Just wonderful. You’re very photogenic…” He murmured as he typed some notes on his phone. “‘The Mystery Woman’ sweeps the Derby red carpet…”

An attractive woman in a designer suit lifted her hand. “Lady Mason, Ana de Luca here on behalf of _Trend_ , fashion and celebrity news magazine… Now to get into it… Lady Mason, as an outsider, what do you think of Cordonia?”

“Cordonia? It’s a country full of charm and wonder.”

“The people will be happy to hear it. Lady Mason, if you marry Prince Aidan, you’ll be our next queen. What qualities make you fit to rule Cordonia?”

“I can rule Cordonia because I am graceful and composed. The people can trust me to look out for them and to keep a cool head in times of crisis. I’d also consider myself brave, caring, and honest.”

“That’ll be a nice soundbite. Last question… hypothetically, how would you handle news about low crop yields from the Cordonian apple orchards?”

_Bertrand was on point about that damned apple question…_ “My first act would be to comfort the people. I know how important the Cordonian apples are to the country and its people, and they deserve to know I’d take their problem seriously. Then of course, we’d talk about ways to deal with the crisis at hand.”

“I can use that…”

Riley was about to say more, but the line of people arriving behind her began moving her down the red carpet.

Ana de Luca noticed the growing line. “Looks like that’s all our time.”

Donald smiled. “Thanks, Lady Mason.”

Ana de Luca nodded in approval. “Glad to have someone interesting like you in the running…”

“Thank you!” Riley waved goodbye, smiling at more photographers as she proceeded toward the field. _Now I’m supposed to join the other suitors… somewhere._ She tried to find the pink tents Maxwell had mentioned but couldn’t spot them. A few moments later, she lost her way in the mass of moving hats, unable to see anyone familiar. _I wonder where I’m supposed to go…_

She wandered inside a nearby stable, hoping to find someone to ask. Most of the pens were empty, save for one horse. It retreated deeper into its pen at the sight of her, huffing nervously.

“Hello? Any humans in here? I could use some directions…” Riley called out.

As she looked around the stable, a gust of wind caused the door behind her to slam shut. The frightened horse charged through the pen’s loose door, kicking and neighing, barreling right for her. “Easy, easy horsey! Everything’s okay!” Riley said, putting her hands up, desperately trying to calm the horse down. The horse snorted and galloped straight at her. Riley backed up further and further until she found herself against the wall. The horse reared up right in front of her. Riley screamed, covering herself, preparing for the strike.

Then at the last moment, someone darted in between her and the horse. Riley took the opportunity to move away quickly, stumbling safely into a stack of hay. She looked up to see who it was. _Drake?!_

“Whoa there. Whoa.” Drake tangled his fingers in the horse’s mane and gently pulled the horse’s head down. The two locked eyes. “Nothin’ to worry about, big fella. I’ll get this girl outta here for you.” He glanced at Riley before leading the horse back to his stall. Then he walked back over to her, holding a hand out to help her up. “You okay, Riley?”

She stared up at him, not taking it. “Drake?! Are you following me?”

“Does that really matter now?” He kept his hand out.

“Yes.” She finally accepted and he helped her stand.

“Okay… fine. I was following you… but in the bodyguard kind of way, not the stalker way.”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “Feels kind of stalkerish to me.”

“Heh.” Drake ran his fingers through his hair. “Look… I… The truth is, Aidan told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t end up in the wrong place… exactly like now.”

“He told you that?”

“Yeah, good thing I followed his instructions, huh? Speaking of which, you should get back to the racetrack and your adoring fans…”

“I’d love to, but I’m lost. Maxwell told me to look for the pink tents?”

_Great job, Maxwell._ Drake rolled his eyes. “He’s wrong. You’re looking for the _white_ tents next to the starting line… can’t miss them. Good luck!”

“You’re not coming with me?”

“No… I’m due to meet Aidan. He has his own private tent. We usually just hang out there and get some drinks, watch the ceremonies, place our bets on the horses… it’s pretty sweet.”

“In that case… I’m going with you.”

He blinked, not sure he heard her right. “What?”

She walked closer to him. “It sounds more fun where you’re going. Take me with you.”

He looked down at her, lifting an eyebrow. “I don’t think you’re supposed to…”

Riley put a hand on her hip. “What are they going to do? Put me in Princess Jail?”

He snorted, shaking his head as he started walking, not stopping her from following him. The two of them walked in silence until finally, he stopped in front of one of the private, enclosed tents ringed around the racetrack. “Here. You go ahead. I’m going to grab some beers for us.” He handed her a pass.

Taking it, Riley went inside the private tent, noticing Prince Aidan staring intently at the racetrack. “You look thoughtful. What’s on your mind?””

Aidan turned in surprise to see her standing near the entrance. “Riley!” He smiled in delight. “I was just…” His voice trailed off as his eyes swept over her outfit.

She smiled. “Just what?”

“If I’m being honest, I was just thinking about you. All of the ladies, actually. I was wondering where you were in the stands…”

“Lucky for you, I found you first.”

“How _did_ you manage it?”

“Actually, Drake was kind enough to let me in.”

“Drake’s never been one to follow the rules… maybe that’s why he’s my best friend.”

Riley moved closer to him, putting a hand on his chest. “Speaking of which… I had a funny conversation with Drake. He said you told him to look out for me.”

“Ah… right.” He gave her a guilty smile. “I guess you caught me. I did say that to him.”

“Aidan… don’t you think I can take care of myself?” she teased, pushing herself back from him lightly.

Aidan took her hands in his, staring into her eyes. “Honestly, you seem like one of the most capable people I’ve ever met. It’s only that I know these events can be chaotic… intimidating… I hate the thought of you feeling lost when I can’t be there with you. I hope you’re not terribly offended.”

She smiled. “I guess it makes sense when you put it that way.”

A movement caught his eyes and he turned his head. “Ah, they’re leading the horses to the starting gates now.” The two of them watched as the majestic-looking thoroughbreds pranced forward, tossing their heads and nickering. “I love watching the horses.”

“What strikes me is that they’re so beautiful,” she said, watching their graceful movements.

“That they are. These are no show ponies, but they have a beauty and grace all their own. Did you know the winner gets covered in flowers?”

“That must be an incredible sight.”

Just then, Drake let himself into the tent, holding three cups of beer. He handed one to each of them. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Of course not, Drake. We’re happy to see you.” Riley smiled, lifting her cup.

Drake blinked in surprise. “You are?”

“Yeah, come join us. In fact…” She pulled out her cell phone. “I’d say it’s time for all of us to take a selfie!”

“Pass.” He shook his head.

“I’m not letting you out of this one, Drake!” She grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her and Aidan.

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not doing this.”

“Oh come on, Drake,” Aidan laughed. “Let us indulge Lady Riley in her request.”

Drake shot him an annoyed look. “Fine…”

The three of them stood together, Riley in the center as she snapped a few shots. She studied the photos on her phone and laughed. “Drake, you need to learn how to smile more.”

He glanced at the photo. “That’s me smiling.”

Aidan chuckled. “That’s about as good as it gets.” He looked at the picture. “Can you send that to me?”

She smiled and passed him her phone, allowing him to input his number and send himself the picture. They both turned to look at Drake. “What?” Riley offered him her phone. He stared at her for a moment. “Oh hell, fine…”

Aidan turned his attention to the track. “The last race is about to start! I say Twilight-Dash takes the crown.”

Drake nodded, taking a drink. “That’s not a bad prediction, but I’ve been studying my stats. My money’s on Marabelle’s Dream.”

“Want to bet on that, Drake?”

“Sure. The usual?”

Riley looked between the two of them. “What’s the usual?”

Aidan grinned. “Ever since Drake and I were kids, we’d bet each other push-ups.”

“Not just any push-ups.”

“Push-ups while the other person sits on your back.”

“That’s so cute!” She laughed.

Drake groaned. “It’s not _cute_. It’s… rugged. And manly.”

“Yes, very tough, I’d say,” Aidan said, echoing the sentiment.

“Oh, right. Of course.” She nodded, her eyes mocking.

Aidan laughed and turned back to Drake. “So do we have a bet?”

“You’re on.”

“Except perhaps one change to the usual. I think we’d be incredibly rude to leave out Riley… Maybe she should be the one to sit on the loser’s back…”

“I’m happy to help.” Riley shrugged.

“There we have it, then.”

Just then, they heard the race starting. Riley, Drake, and Prince Aidan leaned forward in anticipation, watching as the horses took off from the gates.

“Twilight Dash takes the lead!” Aidan called out.

“Race isn’t over yet. Go, Marabelle!” Drake shouted.

“They’re rounding the third bend…”

“Come on, Marabelle. You’re gaining… catch them in the final furlong.”

Riley craned her neck to see them. “They’re neck-and-neck!”

“Come on…”

“And there goes Marabelle! Ha! I knew it!” Drake cheered as Marabelle’s Dream crossed the finish line first. They watched as the horse was led to the side and wreathed in roses. She tossed her head happily as the press took their photos. Drake turned to Aidan with a triumphant smirk. “Aidan, I believe you’re up.”

“Well, here we go.”

“If you think I’m going to bow gracefully and let you out of the bet, you’re dead wrong.”

Aidan laughed. “Oh, I know. That’s one of my favorite things about you, Drake. You never let me get away with anything. Now I can’t get these clothes all sweaty…” He pulled his shirt and blazer off, then dropped down in position to do the push-ups.

“Oh!” Riley’s eyes widened as she stared down at his bare muscular torso, freed from the confines of his clothing. _Damn._

“Riley…” Aidan said, snapping her out of it. “I believe I need your assistance here?”

“I’m on it!” She sat down, resting her weight on his back.

“Is that all? I barely feel anything.”

“Maybe I should get on there too…” Drake kidded.

Aidan easily moved through his push-ups. “One… two… three…”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Pff. Too easy.”

“I agree.” A mischievous smile appeared on Riley’s face as she began trailing tickling fingers up and down his sides.

“Hey!” Aidan froze, his arms locked in place as his sides tensed at her touch.

“Something wrong, Aidan?” She giggled.

“This wasn’t… part of the… bet…” he mustered out, willing himself not to laugh.

“It wasn’t?” Riley laughed, as she nudged her fingers into a tender spot just above his ribcage.

Aidan instantly let out a loud chuckle mixed with cursing as his attempt to protect himself sent them both falling to the ground. He rapidly turned around to face her and grabbed her hands, looking at her with a playful gleam in his eye. “Are you going to let me finish this or what?”

She nodded, smiling back down at him. “Hmm… you really _do_ know curse words…”

“Yeah, don’t let that proper prince act fool you,” Drake said with a smirk, observing the scene with his arms crossed, clearly amused. “You’re still not getting out of this, Aidan.”

Aidan rolled his eyes good-naturedly, and he and Riley resumed their positions again. He tensed up again as he felt her hands rest flat against his sides. “Riley…”

“You know… for stability…” She winked.

“Uh huh.” Aidan completed the last of his push-ups uninterrupted. “And… ten! Done.” He stood up, pulling on his clothes. “Never let it be said that I’ve ever backed out of a bet.”

“And you lose all the time, so that’s really saying something,” Drake taunted.

“I must’ve done something very wrong at some point for you to be my best friend.”

“I think it’s part of my job to keep you humble. Hard to do with all these gorgeous women chasing after you.”

“Speaking of which…” Aidan glanced at the moving crowd. “…now that the races are over, it’s probably time to get back to the social barrage. Next up is the lawn picnic…”

“I guess that means I should get back to where the girls are… Bertrand and Maxwell are probably looking for me.”

Drake looked from her to Aidan, then sighed. “…I’ll go see where they are.”

As Drake stepped out of the tent, Aidan turned to her. “Thank you for coming here, Riley. I’m not exaggerating when I say you made my day.”

“Aidan, you made mine too.”

He smiled down at her. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that.” He glanced around quickly, then leaned in, pressing his lips to hers for a brief kiss.

“Ahem!” Drake returned to the entrance. “I just saw Maxwell run out to bring the car around. The ladies are a few tents down, and they’re headed to the lawn picnic. I can show Riley over there.”

Aidan nodded. “Goodbye, Riley. Until we meet again.”

Riley smiled. “Until then.”

Drake walked her over to the white tents where she began to see some familiar faces.

“I can’t believe we didn’t get to see the Prince at all…” Olivia pouted.

“He’s sure to be at the lawn party, though…” Penelope reassured her.

Drake choked back a laugh at the amused smirk he caught on Riley’s face as she overheard their conversation. “Well… I guess I’ll leave you here. Good luck.”

She grimaced, staring at Olivia. “Sometimes I feel like I’d rather face a rampaging horse than deal with the others…”

A sarcastic smile curved his lips. “I don’t know… you didn’t fare so well in front of the horse…”

“Ha. I guess that’s true.” The two of them looked at each other for a moment. “Hey, Drake? Thanks for saving me.”

He shrugged. “I know I can be a jerk, but I’d have to be a real low-life to let a horse trample a girl.”

“Uh huh.” She shook her head and patted his shoulder. “Well then, thanks anyway, jerk.” She winked at him, laughing as she turned and walked towards the ladies, catching up with them while Drake watched after her.

Olivia scoffed. “Look who finally showed up. _Fashionably late_ has its limits, you know.”

“Riley, I was worried about you. What happened?” Hana asked.

“Oh, well, I… kind of got lost,” Riley lied.

“It’s only day two and you can’t even keep up? Tres embarrassant!” Kiara shook her head disapprovingly.

Hana gave her a shy smile. “I know it can be really overwhelming… how the press swarmed us all when we arrived…”

“Hana… how do you handle all the attention?”

“All of the pressure to be perfect and keep up appearances can be pretty overwhelming. I guess when I’m up there, I try to think of the person that I want everyone to see, and act like that person.”

“Is that all?”

“Sweets and massages help too. I’ll have to introduce you to all the pastries from my home…”

“Now that the races are over, what happens next?”

“Now the real party starts!”


	6. Addiction

** Chapter 6: Addiction **

“So we’re on our way to the best party ever?” Riley looked at Hana as they made their way off the field.

“Well, if your idea of the best party ever is a tea party with lemonade, finger sandwiches, and butter cookies…”

“To be honest…” Riley looked around to make sure no one else was listening. “…tea parties aren’t really my thing.”

Hana nodded in understanding. “I can see how they’re a bit silly… The flowery china, the fussy napkins, the frilly doilies…”

“…And just what is a _tea cozy_ anyway?”

She laughed. “It’s like a sweater for your teapot.”

_That’s… special._ “Are you some kind of tea expert?”

“I wouldn’t go that far! But I know a thing or two. When I was little, I didn’t have that many toys to play with because my parents thought they were frivolous… but I was allowed a tea set, so that I could learn to be a proper hostess…”

“Naturally.”

“I spent lots of happy afternoons sipping tea with all my favorite guests… Mr. Sock, Miss Lemon Curd, and Princess Snickerdoodle…”

“Uh…” _What do I say to that?_

“Like I said, I wasn’t allowed to have toys… so I had to get a little creative.”

“I just hope the company today can keep up.”

“Oh, I _much_ prefer your company. You actually talk to me!”

“Princess Snickerdoodle was never one for conversation?”

“Not so much. And don’t forget, we’ll be meeting the Queen today! That’s sure to be… eventful.”

“Ah yes, the Queen. Have you met her before?”

“Once, a long time ago, but I doubt she remembers me. Today will be our first official meeting. I must confess, I’m a bit nervous…”

“You shouldn’t be. Look at you. You’re talented and gorgeous, more than any of the other women out here!” Riley pulled out her phone, pointing her camera at the two of them. “Just look!”

Hana blushed, looking away. “Riley…”

“What? It’s true!” Riley smiled at her. “Look again. You can’t tell me this picture doesn’t shout natural beauty and poise.”

Hana lifted her eyes and smiled shyly into the camera Riley took the picture of the two of them. “I guess you’re right.”

“Here. Send yourself a copy to keep reminding yourself.” Riley handed her phone to her.

Hana smiled as she punched in her number to send the picture. “Thanks, Riley…” The two of them arrived at an area where a line of cars waited. A black town car rolled to a stop near Hana, and a driver got out to open the door for her. “Well, this is me. I’ll see you at the lawn party.”

“Looking forward to it.” Riley waved her off as a familiar limo pulled up in front of her.

The driver came around to open the door for her, as Maxwell called out from the limo.

“Hop in!” He smiled as she slid in next to him inside the limo. “I hope you had a good time…”

“It was—”

“Enough pleasantries,” Bertrand interrupted. “We only have time for _business_. First of all, was that Lady Hana Lee I saw you with before we pulled up? It looked like you were taking another one of those ridiculous _selfies_.”

“There is nothing wrong with a good selfie, Bertrand. They’re _fun._ Oh wait…”

Bertrand ignored her comment. “You two looked friendly…”

_Very observant._ “Hana and I are becoming friends.”

“Hmm… interesting. An alliance with her family isn’t the _worst_ thing as long as you don’t let it distract you from the Prince… In any case, your focus today should be on impressing the Queen. She holds more sway than anyone else at court…”

“Even more than the King?”

“Socially, yes. Don’t underestimate her. Thankfully, you heeded my recommendation to wear something modern. That’ll curry her favor.”

Maxwell nodded. “Yeah, that’ll help, but more than that… you’ll need to get her to like you.”

“If I’m going to get her to like me, tell me what she likes.”

“The Queen enjoys fashion and likes a woman with grace and style. She tends to favor the ladies who are originally from Cordonia, so you’re at a disadvantage there.” Maxwell gave her an encouraging smile. “But I’m sure your natural charm will win her over.”

She smiled back. “Thanks for your vote of confidence…”

“She has high regard for royal protocol,” said Bertrand. “You should call her ‘Your Majesty’ when you first meet her, and ‘ma’am’ thereafter. Etiquette-wise, don’t forget that you must always stay a step or two behind her when keeping company with her.”

“Oh! She also loves to play games and can be quite competitive,” Maxwell added.

“Ultimately, she’s concerned about how the Prince’s bride will be partly responsible for Cordonia’s future. Keep that in mind when talking to her.”

Riley nodded, taking it all in. “Got it.”

“I hope you do. You might have performed well for the press, but remember, Riley, it only takes one slip-up to tear apart the reputation you’ve built.”

Riley exhaled slowly as she turned her head toward the window. _Yep. No pressure at all…_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A short time later, they arrived at the picnic. The driver opened the limo door, and Maxwell took her arm as she stood up. “Wow,” she said, looking around at the picnic set up. “This looks like something right out of Downton Abbey.”

Bertrand looked at her in surprise. “ _You’ve_ been to an abbey? I find that hard to believe.”

“It’s a TV show, brother,” Maxwell laughed. “Pretty good, if I say so myself. Very upstairs, downstairs, that sort of thing.”

Bertrand grimaced. “Good god, television? Don’t bring _that_ up with the Queen… Now, Riley, go stand over there with the rest of the ladies in the receiving line…”

She walked over to stand near the other noble ladies, joining up with Hana once more. Hana greeted her with a smile. “Welcome to the tea party.”

“Cutting it awfully close there…” Olivia smirked, pointing with her eyes towards the front of the crowd.

Riley followed her gaze over to where a herald began announcing the coming of the Queen of Cordonia. A regal woman with short white-blonde hair adorned in an elegant silver gown appeared, waving her arm gracefully. “Welcome, all… I’m so delighted you could join us this afternoon…” The Queen made her way through the crowd, greeting guests. Riley noticed a woman with short platinum-blonde hair wearing a dark emerald green dress on the Queen’s left escorting her.

Hana leaned over to whisper to her. “I wonder who that lady with the Queen is…”

“Hmmm… she looks familiar.” Riley tried to think back on all of the important names and faces Bertrand had reviewed with her. “I think her name is Madeleine…”

“That’s _Countess_ Madeleine of Fydelia to you…” Olivia corrected, overhearing their conversation. “…and if you haven’t heard of her, then you really are behind the times.”

“Her name was all over the tabloids at one point. She was betrothed to the former Crown Prince until he _abdicated_ …” Penelope said, frowning.

Kiara gave a sympathetic look. “It was particularly embarrassing for her to be thrown over like that. She was the one who was chosen during that social season, after all. To go through all that and not be royal…”

Olivia clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “Poor thing must be the Queen’s guest as a consolation prize…”

Queen Regina passed the Prince’s suitors, talking briefly with each of them. At last, she stopped in front of Riley, who stepped forward and curtsied to her. “It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.”

Madeleine nodded in her direction. “Ma’am, this is the one I was telling you about…”

“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Riley Mason,” Queen Regina said. “The press speaks well of you. It takes great effort to manage one’s image so responsibly. And you’ve selected the appropriate attire for the event. They’re touting you as ‘The Mystery Woman,’ someone who they can’t quite figure out… I hope you realize no one can remain a mystery long when they are a public servant and must attend to the people.”

“Of course, ma’am. Trust me when I say I’d take my service quite seriously.”

“Lady Riley, tell me, what do you think is the best quality for a ruler to have?”

“The best quality should be a sense of duty. Loyalty to the kingdom you represent and the people you serve will carry you through any crisis.”

Queen Regina provided a small smile. “Good answer.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Governance is not to be taken lightly. You will be bombarded daily by a hundred little decisions. Few will be glamorous, and many will weigh on you. Loyalty to the kingdom and to the people must guide your every decision.”

“Right…”

“As heads of state, we have a responsibility to the people. The press acts as their eyes. We must always portray a sense of calm and dignity. If the rulers appear in control, then everyone will be reassured. Hysteria benefits nobody. Do you agree?”

“Ma’am, I believe a stoic leader makes for stoic people.”

Queen Regina nodded in approval. “Precisely. We must set the example, which is why we must not enable the scandal hunting impulses of the press.”

Madeleine leaned toward the Queen. “Ma’am, I hate to interrupt, but it’s time to begin the game.”

“Yes, thank you for reminding me.” Queen Regina raised her hand. “Everyone, please, follow me. It’s time to begin the ceremonial croquet match.” She led the ladies in a procession across the lawn. “Know that one of you will be the next queen, and I expect you to represent Cordonia well. Madeleine here has been the embodiment of dignity and devotion. It is my hope that you may all learn from her example.”

Madeleine beamed proudly. “Thank you, ma’am.”

The procession came upon a bend. Queen Regina began to turn, threatening to bump into Riley. She calmly stepped back, maintaining her position behind the Queen as she turned. Queen Regina gave a satisfied smile, not saying a word as she turned back around and continued walking.

_…Was the Queen… testing me?!_

Across the lawn, a number of croquet hoops had been set up. Prince Aidan waited near the game equipment as the procession approached, greeting each lady as they passed. As Riley approached, she held out her hand, and he brushed his lips over her knuckles, lowering his voice. “Lady Riley, I’m so pleased to see you.”

“Prince Aidan, it’s nice to see you again too.” She curtsied to him.

His eyes glimmered with affection. “My lady.”

She brushed past him and focused her attention on Queen Regina, who spoke up again. “Custom has it that the Queen and the Prince play a round of croquet with two of the season’s suitors. I have chosen Madeleine as my partner.”

Riley heard a sudden flurry of whispers from the noble ladies rise around her.

“ _She’s a suitor?!_ ”

“ _Pas bon!_ ”

“ _That scheming little…_ ”

Madeleine smiled as she confidently remained by the Queen’s side.

“As for myself, I shall choose Lady Riley,” Aidan announced, directing his eyes toward hers as she smiled.

Olivia’s mouth dropped in protest. “Riley? But…”

“Shh,” Penelope whispered. “The Prince has made his choice.”

Riley, Aidan, Madeleine, and the Queen separated into two teams, grabbing mallets and setting up at the beginning of the circuit.

“Looks like we found another way to steal a few moments,” Aidan said to her quietly.

Riley glanced at him worriedly. “Hey, I don’t want to cause you alarm or anything, but I don’t know how to play croquet.”

He smiled at her reassuringly. “No worries. Just follow my lead. Hit your ball through the same hoop as mine, and you’ll be fine.”

“Just so we’re clear, hoops are the little arch-shaped things in the ground, right?”

“Right. Come on, we’re up.” He smoothly knocked his ball through the hoop. He watched as Riley set up to take her shot, then calmly knocked the ball through the hoop. “Nice swing.”

The game continued to proceed through the circuit. While Aidan took his turn, Riley noticed the Queen and Madeleine appeared to be deep in conversation and decided to approach them. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“No. We were simply discussing how to best undress when meeting with ministers during the coucher,” Madeleine answered, without missing a beat.

“We do what now?”

Queen Regina laughed. “My goodness, Madeleine. You’re too funny.”

Madeleine laughed along with the Queen. “Forgive me, Riley, it was only a joke. I hope you won’t begrudge us a small laugh at your expense.”

Riley provided a laugh just as fake as the one Madeleine gave. _I can play this game too…_

“Now, let’s give Riley the opportunity to speak her mind. Tell me your thoughts on governance, my dear,” Queen Regina said.

“Governance is an art lost on most.”

Queen Regina nodded solemnly. “A sad truth.”

“Indeed.”

Aidan called her over to the end of the circuit. “My apologies for interrupting your conversation, but I believe it’s your turn. No pressure or anything, but…” His eyes flitted over to the center peg and back to her. “…if you hit the peg in the center, we’ll win the game!”

“That’s an easy shot! I can definitely make that.” _Wait… Maxwell and Bertrand told me to impress the Queen. Is the Queen going to be mad if I beat her? Or will it earn her respect?_ She cast a split-second glance at Queen Regina before staring down at her ball.

“You’re up!” Aidan said, interrupting her thoughts.

_Ping!_ Riley took her shot, and the ball rolled directly into the center peg.

Aidan grinned. “I believe that means victory is ours.”

Queen Regina strolled up to her. “I’m glad you had the guts to finish the game. Too many ladies have thrown the game on purpose to impress me. That’s why I decided to make it a _point_ to lose this match.”

Riley blinked in surprise. “You mean…?”

“It was a test… and you passed. I’m sure we’ll have times in the future where we’ll find ourselves on opposing sides. Next time, though, I expect we won’t be simply playing croquet… and I won’t be holding back.” The four of them laid down their mallets by the center peg for the grounds crew to clean up. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Mason. You’ve shown yourself to be unlike many of the ladies at court, which is no small feat in my eyes.”

_She praised me!_ Riley smiled. “You honor me, ma’am.”

The Queen turned to address all the other ladies on the field. “Thank you all for coming, and I look forward to see you at the next event.” She and Madeleine retired behind some bodyguards while the rest of the ladies dispersed to the tables.

As Riley and Aidan took a seat at one of the tables, Hana approached. “Riley, Prince Aidan, that was well played.”

“Thank you, Hana.” Aidan smiled, his hand gesturing to one of the chairs at the table. “Won’t you sit with us?”

“I’d love to!”

As the servants brought around piping hot tea, cream, and tiny tea sandwiches, Maxwell and Drake joined the table.

“Hey! We finally get to eat!” Maxwell said, as he casually slid into the other chair next to Riley.

“If you can call this eating…” Drake picked up one of the tiny sandwiches, which was barely the size of his thumb.

“Drake, you _would_ complain about free gourmet food.” Riley rolled her eyes teasingly.

“I’m just saying I’m simple…”

“I don’t think anyone would argue with that.”

Drake shook his head, but Riley caught the small smile on his face that he tried to hide. “What I mean is… give me a ninety-nine-cent burger any day over some escargot aioli.”

Hana looked confused. “Escargot aioli? But how would you…?”

“It was just a joke, Hana.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, onto the big question!” Maxwell turned to Riley. “Do you think you impressed the Queen?”

“Well… I _think_ I impressed her.”

“Fantastic!” He pulled her into a quick one-armed hug. “It’s like watching a bird learn to fly on its own.”

She laughed and turned to Aidan. “Do you think the Queen approves of me?”

“Yes, I think you performed quite gracefully in front of her.” He smiled down at her.

“Enough about Riley.” Drake rolled his eyes and waved his hand around the table. “All the sandwiches are gone, and I’m still starving.”

“Not to worry, there’s more food waiting for us back at the palace,” Maxwell said.

Riley stared at the empty sandwich plate in front of her. “You know… I could _really_ go for a cronut right now…”

Aidan looked at her, confused. “A _what_?”

“I think you mean donut, Riley…” Hana said slowly.

Riley looked around at the group of confused faces. “You haven’t heard of cronuts before?”

Maxwell shook his head. “Can’t say that I have.”

“Really? Okay, guys, we have a _critical_ problem to fix. None of you have had cronuts.”

“Please tell me it doesn’t have anything to do with crows.”

“ _Crows?_ Really?” She laughed.

“I had to ask.”

“It’s the sumptuous inside of a croissant mixed with the glazed outside of a donut. It’s one of the best pastries ever invented.”

“It sounds… _American_.” Maxwell grinned.

“From New York with love!” She winked at him. “We have to get some!”

“While that sounds like quite an adventure…” Aidan sighed, frowning. “I don’t think the schedule will allow for it.”

“Then how about a little jail break tonight?” Riley stood up from the table, grinning excitedly. “Think we can sneak out of the palace and go on a cronut run? I’m pretty sure I saw them in a window at a nearby bakery while we were driving here…”

“That _does_ sound like fun…” Hana looked around the table at everyone.

“Very tempting.” Aidan’s expression was fighting between his duty to stay within protocol and the excitement of joining in on the shenanigans. “Are you sure you want to do this, Riley?”

“Guys… meet me out front once it gets dark! It’s time to have an adventure!”

“I’m with Riley.” Aidan smiled.

“Me too!” Maxwell bounced up from his seat.

“Finally, we’ll have some fun away from the palace,” Drake said.

“New food sounds like a treat,” Hana agreed.

“It’s on, then!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, Riley changed out of her Derby outfit, opting for a pair of jeans with a berry-purple top and a jean jacket. She walked outside to meet with the rest of group, noticing Aidan was still missing. “Did he bail?”

“Nah… Prince Aidan is just taking a while,” Maxwell said, looking in the direction of where his room would be.

Drake nodded. “He’s the prince. We’ll be lucky if he can sneak out at all.”

Hana pointed at an approaching silhouette. “There he is!”

Riley smiled and waved. “You made it!”

Aidan looked back toward the palace. “It’s been a while since I’ve had to sneak out my own bedroom window…” He turned back toward them with an amused look. “I nearly fell into the rose bushes, but I stand before you unscathed.”

“And now the real adventure begins!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A little while later, the group walked down the beach towards a small pastry shop. “Is it just me, or is it more fun to be out at night when you’re also breaking the rules?” Maxwell’s eyes lit up with a playful gleam.

“It’s more fun when you know you’re headed to something delicious!” Hana said.

Aidan sighed, feeling relaxed for the first time after having to play politics all day long. “After a day spent answering to the press and the Queen, this is the sweetest freedom.”

Riley patted his arm. “And it’s about to get sweeter.”

Maxwell threw open the door to the café. “We need all of your finest cronuts, please!” he announced loudly, causing the attendant to turn and stare at the group.

Hana laughed. “I think you’re supposed to go to the counter, not just shout from the doorway.”

“Like normal people.” Drake shook his head as he looked for a table.

“I’ll handle this. You guys take a seat.” Riley approached the counter and ordered the cronuts. Once they were ready, she took the tray and joined the others at the table, finding a seat between Aidan and Maxwell. As she sat down, Aidan draped his arm around her chair, and she leaned in a little closer towards him.

Aidan surveyed the tray of cronuts. “Well, these look delicious.”

“What’s more important is how they taste. Let me at ‘em,” Drake said, reaching for a cronut with everyone else.

Riley held up her cronut. “All together?”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Th…”

“Delicious!” Everyone turned to find Maxwell already stuffing his face with the entire cronut.

“Maxwell!” Drake scowled.

“I regret nothing!” He leaned back in his chair as his eyes fluttered closed in sugary bliss. “Mmmmmmm… Flaky, crusty, glazed cloud of flavor…”

“Cheater.” Riley gave his leg a playful shove with her knee, and he gave her a proud, cheeky grin, mouth still full of cronut.

“I really must take some of these back home. I’ve never tasted anything so light and fluffy and sweet!” Hana smiled as she finished the last of her cronut.

“This rivals the finest pastries from the palace chefs,” Aidan praised. “Even Drake is smiling!”

“What? I like a good dessert. Who doesn’t?”

“The last time I had something _this_ good, Bertrand hired a pastry chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant to make his birthday cake,” Maxwell said.

“Wait a second…” Riley looked at him in disbelief. “Are you saying that Bertrand used to actually have _fun_?”

“Heh. Yeah, he wasn’t always like he is now.”

“…Annnd he has enough friends to throw a party?”

“He’s a powerful man. You’d be surprised how many people at least _pretend_ to be his friend.”

“There was a time when Bertrand would’ve been here with us tonight,” Aidan said.

“Really?”

“Yes. We were all close, once.” His eyes grew sad. “But he’s grown distant in the past few years…”

Maxwell looked at the two of them, smiling reassuringly. “Aw, Bertrand’s gonna be fine. He’s just sorting some things out. You know what? I’ll even bring him back a cronut.”

“That’s sweet of you.” Hana smiled.

Drake gave him a doubtful look. “That’s a noble thought, but we’ll see if that cronut actually makes it back to the palace…”

“I hope you’re not implying I’d _eat_ my brother’s cronut…”

“Wouldn’t you?”

“Well, it’s the thought that counts anyway, right?”

Hana delicately wiped her lips with a napkin. “I can’t believe mine’s gone already. It was delicious.”

“What did I tell you? Have faith in me.” Riley stood up. “Everyone ready for Round Two? Different flavor this time!” She walked up to the counter and returned moments later with another batch of cronuts. “All right, everyone take one, but wait before you take a bite! We have to take a group photo this time!”

“You’re as bad as Maxwell with that selfie addiction.” Drake rolled his eyes.

“Hey, it’s a healthy addiction.” Riley grinned. “You’ll be glad for all the memories later.”

Everyone squeezed themselves into the small frame of the camera. “Okay,” Riley said. “Make sure to get the cronuts in the shot too! But we gotta get the shot in before Maxwell eats his again!”

“Hey, I have _some_ self-control. Possibly.” He smiled impishly.

“Okay, everyone say, _Cordonia!_ ” Riley snapped off several shots, and as she set her phone down, she looked over, noticing Maxwell was halfway through his cronut. “Jusssst couldn’t wait, could you?”

“Hmmm?” He grinned wickedly as he continued to devour it.

“So much for making an attempt at eating our second round together,” Riley laughed, as she began looking through the shots she took, stopping at one where everyone was smiling together. _Wait…_ “Oh my god, Drake, are you actually _smiling_?”

“Delete that.”

“Are you kidding me? I may have recorded Cordonian history right here!”

“Definitely one for the ages, Lady Riley,” Aidan laughed.

She swiped through the rest of the shots until she came to the last one, where she immediately began laughing. “ _This_ one! This is _perfect!_ ”

Aidan looked over her shoulder and he laughed out loud. “I very much agree with you on that, Lady Riley. You have captured their essence perfectly.”

Everyone gathered around Riley to view the group shot. One by one, laughter and giggles escaped from them at the picture. Riley, Hana, and Aidan were smiling in the center, but on either side of the photo, Drake had partially turned his head to glare at Maxwell, who was wearing a giant grin as his cronut stuck halfway in his mouth. Even Drake had a chuckle at the image. “Heh… you’re right…”

After Riley sent them copies of the pictures—and they had a couple more laughs over them—they finished up the rest of their cronuts. Maxwell smiled and turned to her. “That was a treat! Thanks, Riley.”

Drake nodded. “We should sneak out more often.”

Aidan sighed. “I wish I could.”

“We made it possible already. We can, and _will_ , do it again,” Riley promised him, making him smile.

Hana looked up at the clock. “Wow, it’s gotten late…”

“We should be getting back.” Aidan anxiously looked at the time.

“Don’t want the kingdom to panic over a missing prince?” Riley gave his shoulder a friendly shove.

“Precisely. I’ve already been gone for quite some time.”

“Historians will tell of the day when Cordonia nearly collapsed because the Prince went out for cronuts,” Drake added mockingly.

Aidan laughed. “Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but we should still head back to the palace.” Everyone got up from the table and headed for the door. He held it open for Riley as she walked out with him.

Together, they all began to walk along the sand-speckled sidewalk, laughing and talking. All of a sudden, a shadow of movement flashed out of the corner of Riley’s eyes. As she slowly turned, she spotted a dark figure lurking behind, following them. She gasped, jumping back slightly, finding herself being gathered into Maxwell’s protective arms. Aidan, catching her reaction, turned sharply towards the figure and his eyes widened. “Bastien? What are you doing here?”

“You okay, Riley?” Maxwell asked, still holding her as Aidan and Bastien carried on a conversation.

“Yeah.” She pulled his arms around her in a tighter hug before pulling away. “Who is that man?”

“That’s Bastien, head of the King’s Guard. I’m guessing Aidan wasn’t quite as stealthy as he thought when he snuck out of the palace tonight.”

She nodded as the two of them listened in on the rest of the conversation.

“You know the rules. I couldn’t let you go without security, Prince Aidan.”

“But how did you even know?”

“Please, Your Highness. I was assigned to your brother before this. I’ve seen every trick in the book.”

“I’m sorry to have troubled you.”

“Like I said, I was assigned to your brother. Compared to him, you’re hardly any trouble at all. But…”

“But we should be getting back.”

“You go on ahead. I’ll trail behind and keep an eye on things.”

“Thank you, Bastien.”

“My pleasure.”

As the two concluded their conversation, the group began heading down the boardwalk, back towards the palace. Riley fell into step with Aidan, a little ways away from the others. “This was an excellent idea,” Aidan said after several moments, breaking the silence.

Riley smiled up at him. “I thought we could all use a little fun.”

“It’s more than that, it’s… really seeing everything.” Aidan paused in his tracks, taking a moment to look at the beach and shops around him. “It’s strange. I’m the potential leader of my own country, yet there’s so much of it I haven’t experienced.”

“Well… you’re busy most of the time. With all the stately dinners and ministers to wrangle, it’s understandable.”

“I suppose… I only wish the statesman’s bubble wasn’t so thick. Being an icon of sorts robs me of certain luxuries. Like visiting people, going out with friends…” He looked down to her, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. “…spending time with you…”

She blushed, breaking their gaze as her eyes moved down. “Aidan… you know you should be fair to the other ladies.”

Aidan gently lifted her face to him. “Maybe I don’t have to when I’m outside the palace.”

“Ohh, scandalous.” She laughed.

Aidan pulled her to him, enveloping her in his strong arms. “Riley, thank you for another rare glimpse beyond my princely world.”

“Well… that’s why I’m here. I’m your escape into your own backyard.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to have you here.” He murmured against her. He looked up to see the group moving further away from them. “Looks like we better close the distance.”

She glanced up to see Maxwell looking back at her, a small smile on his lips. “Yeah… looks like they’re waiting for us to catch up.”

Aidan released her and held out his arm to her. “Shall we?” The two of them caught up to the group, and they all walked away together, laughing under the moonlight.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell walked Riley back to her bedroom, stopping at the door. He turned to her. “Well, here’s where we say good night.”

She put her hand on his arm. “I’m still feeling the sugar. Come talk with me for a bit?”

“Uh…” He stared down at her hand. “…sure. No problem.” He wasn’t sure why, but his heart was already pounding the moment he stepped into the room. _You’ve been alone with her in here before. This isn’t any different. Snap out of it._

“Hold on while I go change into something that’s actually comfortable. I can only handle jeans for so long.” She removed her jacket, just leaving her shirt and pants on, as she headed for her bathroom.

Now _it’s different._

She returned a moment later, just wearing her black tank top and a pair of sweatpants. She sat next to him. “Hey… sorry for earlier. I know Bastien wasn’t some scary ninja or anything, but…” She gave him an apologetic look. “I didn’t mean to fall on you.”

“Well…” He chuckled. “I think I saw him move the same time you did, and I reached out to grab you. Not that I know any fancy ninja moves to attack him with, but at least if it were a ninja, they’d have to go through me first to get to you.”

She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Good to know.” The two of them sat in silence for a moment.

“Today was fun,” he finally said.

“Yeah… yeah it was.”

Awkward silence.

“So… Aidan looked like he was having a good time…”

“Aidan? Oh yeah… he, um… he really needed it… you know, with all this pressure around him… the courts and everything…”

“Yeah… that’s good.”

Silence again.

More silence.

Her eyes lit up. “Hey, want to look at all the pictures I took today?”

“Definitely!” He relaxed instantly, grateful for a comfortable break in all the silence.

“Come on.” She pulled on his arm, leading him back along the bed until the two of them were sitting up against the headboard. She reached over to the side table, grabbing her phone, and leaned against him, slowly swiping through the pictures from the Derby.

“I can’t believe you got Drake to take a selfie. I can never get him to do that.”

“Aidan made him.”

“Ha ha, if this picture of Madeleine ever got out, you’d better hope she never finds out you’re the one who took it!”

“Stealth is my friend with these shots.”

“You actually caught a picture of Olivia spilling tea on Kiara’s dress?”

“Yeah, that was _really_ an accident, right?”

“Seriously… nothing beats our group picture here.”

“Your lack of patience for waiting to eat that cronut has been thoroughly documented.”

They both giggled.

Maxwell took a deep breath. “Riley?” He shifted his body so he could look down to her.

“Yeah?” Sensing his movement, she moved her eyes up to meet his.

He stared into her eyes for a moment. “I had a good time today.”

She smiled. “So did I.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He didn’t know how long they had been talking, but when he finally glanced over at the clock, he realized they had talked nearly all night. “Hey Riley… we really _should_ try to get some sleep before we head out today.”

Her arm draped across his chest and she pulled him tightly to her. “Don’t go,” she said quietly.

He paused, staring down at her arm and then over to her. “Riley…” he said, as calm as he could possibly make his voice, despite the deafening alarm bells ringing inside his head. “That would cause a scandal. Now come on…” He attempted to move away.

“I don’t care.” She moved so that she was practically laying on top of him, facing down at him. “I want to be here with you.”

He froze. “Riley…” he breathed out.

“Maxwell… I’ve been thinking about you…” Her hand trailed down his chest, and his breath hitched. His heart began racing, and his mind started blasting a million different thoughts in various directions. Her face drew closer and her eyes lifted towards his. “…Do you think about me?”

He was literally motionless, unable to speak. _What is happening?!_ “I… I…”

“Yes?” Her lips were nearing his, as her eyes stared intently at him.

“Wh-what about Aidan?” he stuttered, feeling his resolve slowly slipping away.

Her face moved closer, to where their lips were now barely touching. “This isn’t about Aidan,” she murmured against him. “What do _you_ want…” She ghosted her lips across his, her eyes darkened with desire.

_Oh God._ In that moment, everything stopped making sense. Everything except his need to take hold of her, tangling his fingers into her dark brown locks as his lips hungrily sought hers. The scent of her cherry blossom perfume flooded his senses as he swiftly rolled the two of them over, moving her underneath him and holding himself up with one arm as he caressed her cheek with the other hand.

“Maxwell…” her voice pleaded, arching her body closer to him.

That’s it. He was gone. In one swift move, he had one arm wrapped around the small of her back and the other in her hair as he moved her closer to him, crashing their lips together in a heated fury. As they came up for air, he moved his forehead against hers, trying to gain some sense of composure. “Riley…” he mumbled. “What’s happening here…”

She laid back, her lust-filled eyes staring back up at him. “You don’t have to ask…” She slowly began to draw one of the straps from her tank top off of her shoulder, gently pushing that side of her shirt downward. He stared for a moment, torn between desire and remorse.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t been here before. He had _been with_ other women many times after a good party or a wild night at the bar. And he had known exactly how to end their night on a high note. But looking at her, in this moment, everything was different. _She_ was different. She was a woman who deserved more than just a wild night of reckless passion. She deserved love, devotion, the world—all of which he was not in a position to give to her.

Before she was able to pull the shirt down enough to reveal anything, he put a hand over hers to stop her. “No,” he said quietly. “We can’t do this…” He tenderly lifted the strap back over her shoulder, placing a gentle kiss on the exposed skin. He rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

“Don’t you want this?” She moved her hand up to his cheek.

He didn’t move nor respond. He just stayed where he was, taking everything in.

“Maxwell?”

He suddenly woke with a start, finding himself surrounded by darkness, dimly brightened by the moonlight. He looked around, noticing he was still in Riley’s room and that she was sleeping peacefully against him with his arm around her. _It was a dream?!_ His breathing became more rapid as panic overcame him. _I have to get out of here. Now._

Trying not to wake her, he slowly removed his arm, easing himself away from her little by little until he was completely off the bed. As he was about to head for the door, he heard her voice call out his name.

“Maxwell?”

_Fuck._ “Hey…” He turned back to her. “It’s really late. I should get going.”

“Maxwell… you’re shaking.” Concern filled her eyes as she reached for him.

He backed away. “I’m fine,” he said, forcing out a smile. “Really.”

She got up from the bed, slowly walking toward him. “Maxwell…”

“I’m just really tired… that’s all. I promise.” He looked down at her and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. “I should go. Good night, Riley.” He opened the door, making his exit without waiting for her answer.

“Maxwell, wait.”

He slowly turned at the pleading tone in her voice, his heart beating wildly. “Yeah?” His gaze fell onto her, staring intensely.

She took a hesitant step forward, placing a hand on his arm. “Listen, Maxwell… I…” She stared at him for a long moment. “I…”

Just then, the door to Maxwell and Bertrand’s suite swung open, startling the two of them apart. A sleepy-eyed Bertrand looked out in surprise at the two of them. “Maxwell? Lady Riley? What are you two doing out this late?”

“Heh. Sorry, Bertrand. We were out with a few friends and just got back. I was just walking her to her door.”

Bertrand grunted and mumbled something about schedules as he shut the door again.

Maxwell turned back to her. “Sorry… what were you saying?”

“Um…” She shook her head. “It… it’s not important.” She moved forward and wrapped him in a hug.

He hugged her back, wanting to ask what was not so important, but after that dream, he was almost grateful for the unspoken words for now.

She pulled away, looking up at him again. “Good night, Maxwell.”

“Good night, Riley…” He watched as she kept her eyes on him the entire time until the door shut behind her.

As soon as he walked into the room, Bertrand was already criticizing him. “Honestly, Maxwell, this is really too irresponsible of you. Keeping Lady Riley out at all hours of the night when we have to be up early in the morning. Do you _want_ her to fail at her next event because she did not have the proper amount of sleep?”

“She’ll be fine,” he muttered, heading toward the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower.”

Bertrand went on like he hadn’t even heard him. “I _knew_ this was a bad idea. Ruination of House Beaumont is imminent! You got us into this mess, Maxwell. I expect you to do your part and follow through with getting her past these proceedings.”

Maxwell didn’t respond and simply shut the door behind him, slowly undressing as he walked towards the shower. He turned on the water, stepping inside and letting the warm streams embrace his bare skin as he braced himself against the wall with one hand, his head lowered as he tried to calm himself down. The dream was so real, so vivid. He could feel her, smell her, taste her. Lust and desire drove his senses into overload and he had no longer been able to think.

He had to face it. Her mere presence was like a drug—deliciously addictive—and he was a willing addict ready to fill his next fix. He couldn’t stay away, despite his duty to Aidan and House Beaumont, and yet he would still have to find a way to maintain a sense of self-control. But every time he looked into her eyes—those amazing, deep rich chocolate brown eyes that could see right into the depths of his very soul no matter how far he tried to run—he was lost all over again. Control was an endless, relentless, torturous struggle in her presence.

But it’s what he had to do. Aidan was counting on him. Bertrand was counting on him. The reputation of their house was riding on him. If he failed, he would have to bear watching a good friend marry into a loveless marriage. If he failed, he would have to see Bertrand move further and further away from him into a darker place. If he failed, there would truly be no turning back for House Beaumont… at least not for a very long time. So many counting on him, and he couldn’t let them down. Not if he could help it. Not if he had the power to control the outcome and make everyone else happy. No matter how much it hurt.

He turned the heat up, allowing the water to continue cascading over him. And as the steam rose, it carried with it the whispers of her name into the early morning hours.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that morning, Riley woke up to an insistent knock at the door. Stumbling around sleepily, she answered the door to find Maxwell and Bertrand standing outside.

“Rise and shine, Riley!” Maxwell said, with a cheerful grin on his face.

“…Nnngh?” She looked between the two of them, still trying to wake up.

“I’ll assume that was the appropriate morning greeting followed by the proper use of my title.” Bertrand glared at Maxwell. “This is what happens when people don’t get proper sleep.”

“Why are you both here so early?” She groaned, then glanced at Maxwell. “And how are _you_ so cheerful?”

“We just heard where the next social event will be, and if we’re going to arrive there with everyone else, we should get packed. It’s going to be fuuuuun!” Maxwell grabbed her hands, shaking her lightly.

Riley playfully pushed him back, rolling her eyes. “Where are we going?”

“To the northern region of Cordonia, to the snow!”

“Snow? I love snow!” Her eyes perked up.

“I wouldn’t celebrate so soon,” Bertrand said. “The family that’s hosting us up there, the place we’re staying at, belongs to the Lythikos duchy…”

“That means?”

“That you’re about to go straight into Olivia’s home territory. If you want to get time with Prince Aidan, you’re going to have to beat her at her own game.”

“…Crap.”


	7. Playing With Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting icy in the land of ice...

** Chapter 7: Playing With Fire **

_Be still my heart, don’t give me away  
Be still my lips that long to whisper his name  
Be still my arms that held him tight  
And still reach out to him in the middle of the night  
Be still my heart, it’s way too late  
Be still my voice because there’s nothing left to say  
I know for sure it doesn’t matter anymore…_

**_(Jim Brickman – “Be Still My Heart”_ ** **)**

After traveling for some time away from the palace, Riley noticed the scenery slowly transition into endless plains of snow, eventually finding their group in the Alps. She, Maxwell, Drake, and Hana stood on a vista overlooking the Nevrakis chateau.

“Here we are…” Maxwell said, waving his arm across the vast snow-blanketed land ahead of them. “Welcome to Lythikos! Land of ice, snow, and mountains.”

Riley gazed at her surroundings in wonder. “ _This_ is where Olivia lives?”

“Some of the time, yeah. She’s primarily at Lythikos Hall, which is further south, but she’ll host us up here for the social season, so we can take advantage of the snowy festivities…”

“And so she can take advantage of the Prince?” Riley smirked.

“She _does_ have the edge here, but that’s no reason to admit defeat!” Hana said optimistically.

“That’s the spirit!” Maxwell grinned.

Drake glanced around. “What happened to your brother, Maxwell? I notice he’s not around lecturing Mason. I thought he hated to miss out on the chance to eat fancy food and rub elbows with the royals…”

“Bertrand was called away for some business having to do with our estate…”

“Bertrand is gone? This is starting to sound like a real vacation after all!” Riley said.

“That’s one way to put it. Now we can really enjoy ourselves.”

“I may miss his protocol pop quizzes… you never know.”

“If you really want, I can quiz you on how to best stand behind a chair…”

“Please don’t,” Drake groaned. “We’re about to have such a nice time.”

“I agree. It’s beautiful out here…” Hana shivered, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. “…even if it is so very _cold_!”

Drake looked down at her, noticing her short-sleeved pink dress. “Didn’t you pack anything warmer?”

“…Not exactly. I didn’t realize it’d be snowing quite this much… but I’ll survive. What say we check out the inside of the chateau?” She began walking ahead, holding her arms close to her for warmth.

“Good idea. Riley, let’s go!” Maxwell said. “I can show you where your room is…” Soon, their group arrived at the Nevrakis chateau. Riley followed Maxwell into the lavish and grand estate and up to her bedroom. “Well… here we are…” He remained in the doorway as she entered, keeping his distance.

Riley took in the surroundings of her room, then turned to him, still holding her luggage as she watched him curiously.

“Come on, Riley! Put your stuff down, so we can go!” he said hastily, trying not to sound nervous.

“…What’s your rush?” She still didn’t put her luggage down.

“We’ve got an entire day in the snow planned out! Plus, I already see Olivia and Aidan out there on the ice. Better put on something warm…” he rambled out.

“It can wait a few minutes…” She finally set her luggage down and walked toward him. “Why are you acting so strange today?”

“I’m not.”

“Then come in.” She moved out of his path, waiting for him to move forward.

“…I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Because we fell asleep together last night?!”

Maxwell’s head quickly turned to look behind him before he turned back. “You shouldn’t be saying things like that out in the open. People will talk.”

“Then you’d better get in here and shut the door, because I’m not stopping.” She took a step forward, her eyes incensed. “Sounds like we need to talk about what happened last night.”

He swiftly moved into the room, shutting the door behind him. “Last night… n-nothing happened last night.”

“ _Exactly._ Nothing. Happened. So why are you acting like we committed some giant scandal when all we did was accidentally fall asleep?”

“Riley, please don’t worry about this. It has nothing to do with anything you did. This is my problem to work out, okay? Let’s just move on…”

“You’re not seriously throwing the ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ speech at me, are you? Maxwell, you’ve been avoiding eye contact with me all day. Something’s wrong. Please…” She drew dangerously close to him, just as she had done in his dream. “Talk to me…”

He stared down at her, placing his hands on her arms, and gently pushing back away from her. “I’m fine.”

A glimmer of hurt crossed her eyes before it was replaced with a hollow darkness, as her voice carried a solid chill. “Fine.” She turned away from him, opening her luggage to find the outfit she had chosen at the palace boutique earlier that morning. She went into the bathroom, coming out moments later dressed in white turtleneck sweater with black pants, draped in a warm, tan tie-up overcoat and a colorful scarf. “Let’s go.” She kept her eyes down and her voice neutral, refusing to show emotion.

“Riley…”

“We’re gonna be late.”

_It’s okay_ , he told himself. If she hated him, it would just be easier for him to accomplish the tasks he needed to complete. She wouldn’t need to be as close to him, and he would no longer feel the excess temptation. Aidan would get the queen he so rightly deserved, Bertrand would get the honor and prestige he so desperately wanted, and the reputation of House Beaumont would be slowly restored to its place of honor. The way everything _should_ be. He just needed to focus. Everything was fine. He couldn’t be heartbroken over someone who was never his to begin with.

_So why does it hurt so bad?_

Back outside, Maxwell led her towards the frozen lake, where they both donned a pair of ice skates. “You know how to ice skate, right?” he asked, as he finished lacing up his skates.

“Just watch me skate circles around you.”

Still no emotion. This was going to be a long day. “Be my guest,” he muttered.

On the ice, several guests were already skating around in pairs, including Prince Aidan and Olivia at the center of the lake.

Olivia smiled gleefully, being Aidan’s center of attention at the moment. “…Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten just how well I can skate.”

“Oh, I very much remember…” Aidan smiled back at her.

Maxwell looked from the two of them to Riley. “Okay… remember to keep your eyes on the prize…”

“Because Aidan is an object for people to compete over… not like he’s a human being or anything…” Riley rolled her eyes.

“You’re the one who wants to be with him. I’m just helping you get what you want.”

“And who says I needed _your_ help?”

He breathed in frustration. “Just get out there and grab some time with the Prince while I distract Olivia. Then I’ll leave you alone.” Maxwell forced out the best smile he could and waved at Olivia from where he stood. “Olivia, you gotta see me do a spin! Don’t move!” Turning back to Riley, he heatedly murmured, “Go get ‘em, _princess_!” as he hip-checked her, sending her sailing across the ice.

“Whoa!” Riley, not expecting it, flailed her arms in an attempt to maintain her balance, until all of a sudden, Aidan caught her in his arms, wrapping her in a hug before pulling away.

“Gotcha.”

“Well, hello.” She smiled up at him.

He smiled in return, gently brushing some snow off her cheek. “I take it you’ve come to skate with me today?”

“That was my hope.”

“Then please, accompany me.” He offered her his hand.

“You’re going to have to try harder than that.” She took off, laughing as Aidan gave chase.

He soon caught up to her, matching her speed. “This isn’t what I had in mind,” he said, giving her a small smile.

“When have I ever done what you had in mind?” She winked, then held out her hand for him. The two of them skated alongside each other, entwining their fingers together.

“You look very lovely today. And warm.”

“Yeah, definitely glad I put on this coat. Do you and the court come out here regularly?”

“Not often. However, when we do, Olivia’s always been very generous by having us at her estate. But actually, I used to come out here frequently when I was young. Olivia and I would play in the snow together…”

“You and Olivia, huh?” _Talk about opposites attract!_ “Tell me more about that.”

“We’d build little snow forts on the bank and ‘catapult’ snowballs at each other. The lake was too dangerous to play on since we were young, but sometimes, we’d sneak onto the ice in hopes that we could see fish beneath the surface. We never did, but we had many exciting false finds.”

“You two must’ve been close.”

“We were…” His expression grew solemn. “It’s been hard watching her, well, become who she is. I know Olivia can be a tough person to get along with.”

“She’s basically the opposite of you.”

“Olivia had a difficult childhood. Her parents were killed in a political assassination when she was only five years old. She was alone, without family at her estate for the better part of a year before my parents and I officially visited.” His eyes darkened with anger, though his voice remained steady as he continued to speak. “She was supposed to be in the care of her great aunt, but the woman had left to summer on the Riviera, abandoning her… Olivia didn’t have anyone. She was so alone.”

“Didn’t she have servants?”

“The servants were doing their best, but they were traditionalists, Nevrakis-family trained for decades. After a lifetime of holding the nobility up on a pedestal, they weren’t prepared to give her what she needed most… Love. The first few days of our visit, she was sullen and withdrawn. I thought she hated me.” His eyes grew sad once again. “But one night, I heard her sobbing through the wall. I actually believed it was a ghost, at first, but once I got over my fear and decided to investigate, there she was… Little five-year-old Olivia, weeping and clutching one of her mother’s gowns, saying over and over again, ‘Come back. Please come back.’ I knelt beside her and held her until she cried herself to sleep. I knew we couldn’t leave her there. I convinced my parents to invite her to live at the palace with us. For almost two months, she wouldn’t leave my side. Just about drove Drake crazy, actually, but—”

“That Maxwell is a persistent one.” Olivia skated over, interrupting the conversation.

Aidan smiled. “Yes. He _can_ be high energy.”

“Yes… I can tell.” Olivia turned a sharp-toothed smile on Riley. “So, Riley, I bet you’ve never seen a countryside this spectacular. Aren’t you impressed?”

“Impressed? Actually, it’s gorgeous. Your home is truly lovely. The snow, the lake, the trees… It’s absolutely breathtaking.”

Olivia stared at her, shocked. “…Oh. Well, yes. It is.” The usual snide smile returned to her face. “I’m glad even someone like _you_ can appreciate the elegance and splendor of nature.” She wrapped her arm around Aidan’s. “Now, Prince Aidan, I believe you own me a round across the lake.”

Aidan nodded. “Excuse me, Riley… I do owe her… I will see you later.”

Olivia and Aidan skated off together. She released his arm, snaking her hand into his. Looking around, Riley could see the other nobles trying to skate and caught Kiara sliding across the lake on her stomach.

“Ooofff!!”

“I don’t think I can balance on these.” Penelope frowned.

“This ice hasn’t even been resurfaced. My skates are too expensive for this,” Tariq whined.

As she looked further, she found no sign of Maxwell. He had since disappeared from the ice after distracting Olivia. _Guess he was right about leaving me alone._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He did what he needed to do. He’d distracted Olivia until she couldn’t take it anymore and threatened to bury him under the ice, but it at least gave Riley and Aidan a few moments alone together. Mission accomplished. He was already a walking zombie at this point, surviving on barely any sleep, and on top of that, trying to handle keeping his emotions in check without blowing his top. An angry Riley was no help in this. And was he sick in the head or did her anger make her that much more attractive?

As soon as the skating rink was out of sight, he leaned back against a nearby tree, slowly letting his legs give out until he was sitting against it. He rubbed his hand against the back of his neck as he attempted to regain his composure. He just needed space. They _both_ needed some space. Perhaps being out there would let her blow off some steam while he could take this time to refocus, to figure things out, to get his act together.

The sound of footsteps behind him met his ears. He turned and looked slowly upward to find Drake standing against the tree looking down at him. “Thought you’d be out there with Mason, trying to get her some time with Aidan.”

“I did. Olivia squashed that in all of about two minutes.” He shot him a weak grin. “You know people can only handle so much of me.”

“Heh. That’s the understatement of the year.” Drake plopped down in the snow next to him, hanging his arms over his knees. “And now you’re out here.”

“I guess so.”

“You look like hell, Beaumont.” He reached into his jacket, pulling out his flask and handing it over to him.

Maxwell stared at the flask for a moment before accepting it and taking a drink. “I must be a real train wreck if you’re offering me your emergency whiskey.” He handed it back to him.

“A train wreck looks better.” Drake studied him. “Everything okay?”

“I literally got almost zero sleep last night. Then having to get up early and jump right into competition mode… it’s been a killer today. Not even the extra coffee helped.” Maxwell groaned, leaning his head back against the tree.

“What was keeping you up?”

“Not sure… maybe the extra sugar, the excitement at coming to Lythikos… could’ve been any number of things,” he answered nonchalantly, looking down as his phone sounded off. He glanced at it and shoved it back in his pocket quickly.

“Who’s that?”

“No one.”

“Grace?” He smirked when he saw Maxwell’s head snap towards him, his eyes unable to shield their nervousness. “Yeah, I’ve seen you text her when you thought no one was looking. She’s no secret. To me anyway.”

Maxwell shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

Drake cocked an eyebrow at him. “If that’s what’s keeping you up at night, just be careful. I’d hate for Bertrand to murder you just because it got in the way.”

“Heh. Now _that’s_ an understatement.”

“Let me know if I can do anything to help. We’re all trying to help Aidan out here.” He shrugged. “And… Mason.”

Maxwell finally gave a small smile. “She’s not so bad, right?”

Drake side-glanced him. “No. I guess not.” He looked at his watch. “Well, I’m going to start heading over to the slopes. The court should be due up there in a bit. You joining?”

Maxwell shook his head. “No… I think I’ll just take the time to catch up on a little bit of sleep. I’ll come join you guys this evening though.”

Drake clapped him on the shoulder as he stood up. “Take care of yourself, Maxwell.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hana skated into her view, gliding elegantly across the ice. Skating backwards, she circled around her as she turned an observant eye towards Aidan and Olivia. “Looks like Olivia stole Aidan from you.”

Riley glanced in the same direction and shrugged, her voice remaining neutral. “It’s fine. Aidan has obligations. I don’t take it personally.”

Hana turned her head, looking at her curiously. “That’s… level-headed of you.” She twirled gracefully before coming to a full stop beside her.

“Where’d you learn to skate like that? It couldn’t have been from the other ladies.”

“Oowwww!! Mon posterieur!” Kiara yelped in the distance.

The two of them glanced in her direction, then turned to face each other. “Ice skating is one of the things my parents sent me to lessons for,” Hana said, shrugging her shoulders.

“That’s an unusual choice. I had soccer and basketball practice.”

“It’s a skill I learned to appeal to suitors. I was told ‘a display of elegance can go a long way.’”

“But do you even _like_ ice skating?”

Hana shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, you know… it’s okay.”

“That’s not very convincing.”

She sighed, looking down at the ice. “When my parents were selecting my activities, whether or not I enjoyed something wasn’t a factor they considered. Now I find myself with all sorts of skills that I honestly haven’t much interest in.”

Olivia returned from her skate with Aidan. “All right, everyone. It’s time to hit the slopes!”

“Dieu merci!” Kiara breathed in relief.

“Skiing must be easier than this… right?” Penelope’s face scrunched up.

“Finally, a use for that professional ski equipment I bought three years ago.” Tariq grinned.

Hana and Riley shared an amused smile, following the group. One ski lift later, they crested the top of the slope. Drake skied up beside Riley. “So, Mason, you finally made it to the slopes.”

“What’s wrong, Drake? Were you starting to miss me?”

“Hardly. I was just getting bored.”

“You didn’t go skating?”

“Figure skating isn’t really my thing.”

“Really?” She smirked. “I think you’d look good in a tutu.”

“Some mental images aren’t worth the effort.”

She squinted her eyes and grimaced, causing him to chuckle. “Yep, I suppose so.” She glanced at him in his ski equipment. “I suppose skiing is _manly_ enough for you.”

“I’d hardly call what’s going on here _skiing_. But I’m looking to change that. How about a race?”

“What makes you think I can ski?”

“Maybe I’m starting to have faith in you, Mason.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. “Drake… you’re scaring me with your… niceness.”

“I’m scaring myself.” He shuddered jokingly. “Anyway, I’m going to start skiing down this slope in a minute, and if I get to the bottom before you… Well, let’s just say I’m calling that a win, and I might never let you hear the end of it. Ready… set… Don’t wipe out!” Drake took off down the hill.

“Hey!” Riley immediately chased after him. The wind whipped against her face as she picked up speed. Drake maintained his pace ahead of her. Off to the side, she could see Olivia and Aidan quietly skiing and talking together.

“Oh Aidan, you’re so _hilarious_!” Olivia said with dramatic flair. A mischievous look crossed Riley’s face as she neared the two of them. She made a sudden twist as she passed and _Swoosh!_ She kicked up a spray of snow that flurried right into Olivia, who shrieked loudly next to the unfortunate Prince Aidan’s ear. “Eeeeekkk!” Aidan grimaced, jerking his head back, and gradually creating some distance between them by slowing down slightly.

Further down the slope, she could see a large fallen branch. Drake swerved to go around it, calling back over his shoulder to her. “Watch yourself, Mason!” He watched in shock as she jumped and sailed straight over the branch. “Wow.”

Riley’s heart was thudding against her chest as she landed. _That was close!_ With her uninterrupted momentum, she sped past Drake and finished first. “I win!”

Drake came up behind her seconds later, shaking his head. “I’m not too thrilled, but if you’re going to hop a branch like that, you deserve to win. Nice moves, Mason.” He took a deep breath, inhaling the cool, crisp mountain air. “This trip hasn’t been half bad. Shame that tomorrow it’s back to waltzing and bowing and all that.”

Riley hugged her arms to her sides, staring up the mountain. “At least I can ski better than I can waltz… which is barely at all.”

Drake turned to her, surprised. “Wait… you can’t waltz? I thought you danced with Aidan…”

“Yeah, but he did a lot of the work… Why? Is it important?”

He shook his head. “Oh, Mason, Mason, Mason… What would you do without me? There’s a ball tomorrow. All of the ladies are expected to dance the Cordonian Waltz in front of everyone.”

“Oh… it’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”

“It’s very complicated.”

She shrugged. “No biggie. I’ve survived _this_ far.”

“Whatever you say, Mason.” He rolled his eyes, smirking.

“But let’s say I’m curious… How does one dance the Cordonian Waltz?”

“Sadly, I can’t help you there. _I_ don’t know the steps. You should ask Maxwell… or even Hana. If anyone knows everything forwards and backwards, they will.”

“Yeah… maybe.” She and Drake glided over to where the rest of the group met after their ski runs.

Still scowling and brushing the snow off her, Olivia gathered everyone’s attention. “It’s time to head over to the lodge. I’ve had enough snow for today.”

Drake nudged Riley’s shoulder. “Thanks for the race. I actually had fun.”

Riley smiled. “Maybe you’re not as bad you seem.”

“You’re going soft on me, Mason.” Their feet crunched in the snow with each step as he and Riley followed the crowd toward the chateau.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back at the lodge, Riley sat with Drake, Hana, and Maxwell by the fire as she sipped a mug of steaming hot chocolate.

Maxwell looked over at her hesitantly. “…Did you have fun today, Riley?”

“Today was fun.” Her voice was still neutral, and she still was not meeting his eyes. She lifted her cup. “And now we have hot chocolate.”

Maxwell looked down in his cup.

“This is wonderful. Look, little marshmallows shaped like hearts!” Hana gushed.

“Just… just adorable.” Drake rolled his eyes.

“Watch yourself…” Maxwell muttered. “We’ve got incoming.”

“Well, _hello_ , my dear guests,” Olivia greeted in a disgustingly sappy voice. “I hope you’re enjoying my spectacular hosting.”

“I always enjoy my time here with you, Olivia…” Maxwell said, maintaining a polite front.

Drake didn’t look up and kept his eyes on his hot chocolate. “It’s… something.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes at Drake, her smile thin. “Did you see that we have éclairs, Drake? They always remind me of dear, darling little _Savannah_. She’d gobble them down like a sow at the trough.”

Drake’s body immediately went tense as his head slowly lifted toward her, eyes darkened with fury. “Don’t talk about my sister.”

Olivia, undeterred by the change in his demeanor, continued to feed the flames. “Why ever not? She was such a fixture at court, and then she just up and disappeared. You never told us what happened, and usually gossip is quick to spread.”

“She left because of people like _you_.”

Olivia shook her head in mock sympathy. “She always was the sensitive sort. Ladies like that don’t last long here.”

Riley watched as Drake’s jaw clenched in anger, only to have his attention diverted to his watch, which seemed to relax him. “You know what? I just remembered I’ve got somewhere I need to be. If you’ll excuse me…” Drake bowed curtly to her, Hana, and Olivia, then turned and strode off.

Olivia called after him, trying to provoke him again. “Wait, Drake, dear! Come back! I wasn’t finished with you!”

Riley stood up angrily. “Olivia… You leave Drake alone before I slap that smile off your face!” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him hesitate at the door before he left the room. She turned back to Olivia, frowning.

There was a hush over the room as the two women faced off. No one at the court had ever dared tell Olivia Nevrakis off before. And on top of that, at her own duchy. Had this newcomer lost her mind?

Maxwell stared at her, again in both a mix of horror and wonder like when she had told off Bertrand upon first meeting him. The woman was scary when she was mad, but damn if that didn’t make her even hotter than she was before. The fury in her eyes alone was a force to be reckoned with.

“Ooh, does Cinderella have a soft spot for the rough-around-the-edges commoner?” Olivia mocked.

Riley glared at her. “Maybe I just don’t like seeing anyone get treated like that.”

“What a valiant hero to the masses. They must sing songs about you. Now, as charming as this has been, I’ve got to get back to Prince Aidan.” She grinned conceitedly. “I’ve promised him a _private_ tour of the Lythikos castle. Bye bye, darlings!” With a wink, she flounced out of the room, and the nobles in the area resumed their regular chatter.

Hana frowned. “I can’t believe the things Olivia says… Poor Drake.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t usually let Olivia get under his skin like that…” Maxwell stared at the door where Drake had left.

“Well, I hope he’s all right. I saw him go outside, but it’s not a good idea to be out there right now. I’ve heard there’s a storm brewing tonight… What can he be thinking?” Hana looked worried, staring out the window.

As Riley looked outside, she could see the sky darken and take an ominous tone. She exhaled and stood up. “There’s only one way to find out…”

Hana’s mouth dropped. “You mean you’re thinking about following him?”

Maxwell stood up, tentatively placing a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “You’d have to be crazy to go out there without some serious gear.”

Riley casually moved away from him, still staring at the outside. “Well, I’m not wearing this jacket for nothing, am I? I’m going to go see what he’s doing.” Pulling her coat tighter around her, she followed Drake’s path into the dark night.

Maxwell sighed inwardly. He nodded to Hana. “I’m going to finish catching up on sleep. Good night, Hana.” He began walking away, soon realizing her footsteps were following him close behind.

“Maxwell, wait.”

He turned. “Hana.”

Her inquisitive dark brown eyes scanned the room before they turned back to stare at him. “I’ve been watching you and Riley,” she said quietly, so that no one else could hear. “And I can tell something is off. Whenever you two are together, you know what to say and how to draw a smile out of each other. Today, it’s like there’s a… well, as they say in Lythikos, an ice chasm.”

When Maxwell stayed silent, she continued. “I know we all haven’t known each other long, but Riley and I have already become very good friends. Perhaps you and I can be friends too at some point, if that’s okay with you?”

He nodded silently as the two of them walked, finding a seat near the fireplace in the next room.

“So… care to tell me the truth about Riley or shall we just leave it at your silent acknowledgement that I know what’s happening? Either way… your secret is safe with me.”

He turned his head to face her, saying nothing.

She nodded. “That’s all I need to know, Maxwell.” She reached her arm around him, giving him a one-armed hug. “I’m here for you.”

He leaned into the hug, accepting the small token of comfort as he turned to face the fireplace, allowing himself to be entranced by the dance of the flames across the hearth. Even though he hadn’t breathed a word, he still felt lighter, and the weight he had been carrying no longer seemed to crush him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A ways outside the chateau, Riley spotted Drake in a clearing, staring into the woods. _I wonder what he’s up to…_ Crouching down, she watched as Drake suddenly punched a gloved hand into a tree.

“Dammit. _Dammit._ ” Drake put his hands behind his neck, looking up at the sky, and Riley nearly teared up at seeing the rare look of pure anguish pouring from his eyes. “Where did you go, Savannah? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Riley shifted her position, and suddenly, Drake’s gaze snapped over to where she was hiding, catching the movement. “Who’s over there? Come out now!” he shouted.

She carefully stepped out from her hiding place, moving slowly towards him. “Drake, it’s… it’s just me.”

“Riley? How long have you been watching me? What are you even doing out here?” he demanded angrily.

“I saw you going off on your own, close to dark with a storm coming, and… I wanted to make sure you were okay.” She continued walking toward him, a concerned look crossing her face. “After what Olivia said to you… I could see that it struck something inside you.”

Drake narrowed his eyes as she stood next to him. “No offense, but you’re the _last_ person I need looking out for me.”

She glared at him. “Thanks.” She shook her head as she turned away, struggling back through the snow. “I honestly don’t know why I bother.”

“That’s not what I… Oh, hell.” Drake strode after her, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She turned, looking up at him. “Look, I’m not trying to be a jerk, Mason. I only meant that you shouldn’t have to worry about me. You should only be looking out for yourself.”

Riley glanced at their surroundings. “What did you come out here to do, exactly?”

“If you really want to know… you’ll have to trust me.”

She backed up, teasingly raising an eyebrow. “Yeah… I’d trust you about as far as I can throw you. And you look pretty heavy to me.”

“Heh. Well, you’re out here alone with me at night…” His eyes gave off a mischievous glimmer as he closed the distance. “…so you must think I’m at least not some kind of murderer.”

“The thought crossed my mind…”

“Here. I’ll make this easy for you…” He reached out and shoved her, stepping back quickly so she couldn’t grab onto him.

“Hey!” For a second, she struggled to keep her footing, but then she toppled over, landing on her back in the soft snow. Then she looked up to see the most star-filled sky she’d ever laid eyes on. As she watched, shooting stars lit up the night. “Drake…” She heard a thud as Drake landed next to her.

“Yes, my lady?”

“I’ll admit it. This is absolutely gorgeous…”

“Nothing beats a clear view of the sky during a meteor shower.”

“I’m glad I didn’t miss this.”

“Really? Would’ve figured you’d rather eat bon-bons and dress up tiny dogs, or whatever Olivia had planned for the night.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Not exactly my scene.” The two of them watched the stars in silence for a moment before she turned her head to him, smirking. “This is still no excuse for knocking me over…”

A wry grin appeared on his face. “Heh. Sorry about that. You seem pretty tough. I thought you could take it.”

“You think I’m tough?”

“ _Pretty_ tough. For a noble girl, I mean.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m no _real_ noble. You know that.”

Drake turned his head slightly, staring at her for a long moment. “Yeah. I do.”

As the two of them stared up at the sky, Riley could see clouds starting to creep across the stars. “Looks like we were just in time to see this before the storm comes.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t want to miss it. I used to do this with my younger sister, Savannah, every year. We grew up around the royals. My dad used to do security for Aidan and his brother, and my sister and I were allowed to hang out with them. Aidan and I ended up getting close, even though I didn’t have the lineage to merit it. Savannah, on the other hand, got along with everyone, and they were all friendly with her. She _loved_ living at the palace when we were kids, being around all the pretty dresses and jewelry… But it got harder when she was older.”

She turned her head to face him. “What happened?”

“She… It was hard on her. She couldn’t take it, I guess. After what happened with… I… I failed her. I couldn’t protect her. I couldn’t protect her from this place… or these people.”

Drake put his hand over his face and was quiet for a moment. It was his rare emotional side showing, and she didn’t quite know how to approach that yet. They hadn’t known each other long, and since they’d met, the basis of how they related to each other seemed to be the battle of comebacks. She’d initially had it pegged for a defense mechanism, but the banter between them had swiftly and comfortably become second nature, so figuring him out hadn’t really come to mind until times like these came up. Her eyes moved over towards his as he removed his hand.

“Sorry, it’s… I guess I’m still not ready to talk about it. This is more than I’ve talked about it with anyone in the last year, actually.”

_That’s new…_ “Really? Does this mean we’re friends now?”

He stifled a laugh. “Friends… I wouldn’t go that far, Mason.”

“Should we call it non-enemies then?”

He shot a glance at her before turning his attention back to the stars. “I guess I can’t really stop you, can I?”

“Nope.” She smiled brightly, then looked at him earnestly. “How about this… does this at least mean… you trust me?”

“I don’t trust anyone, Mason.” He was quiet for a moment. Finally, he looked back at her. “But if I did… I’d start with you.”

“Drake, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to _anyone_.”

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Heh. Maybe.” The two of them stared at the sky silently for a moment, watching for shooting stars. As more snowflakes fell, he sighed. “We better get back. It’d be quite the scandal if I let one of the Prince’s suitors freeze to death out here on my watch.”

“I’d hate for my untimely demise to cause you any difficulty.”

“Not to mention that Maxwell would never let me hear the end of it.”

“I’m sure even Bertrand would be upset, in his own way.”

“Bertrand? He’d only be upset if he couldn’t turn it into some kind of press event. Now, let’s go.”

The two of them began to walk slowly back, trudging through the snow and wind. Riley glanced up at him, a teasing look in her eye. “You know… the next time you tell me that I’m doing something stupid, I’m going to remind you about your little walk in the blizzard.”

A small grin broke across his face. “I do _plenty_ of stupid stuff, Mason. I’m practically the King of Stupid.”

“Really?”

“Really. You just don’t know me very well yet. But… maybe that’ll change.”

“Maybe.”

The two of them shared a smile, as Drake offered his arm while she floundered in the snow. “Here. Grab my arm. It gets really slippery out here.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inside the chateau, as Riley and Drake were about to head up the stairs to their rooms, she noticed Hana and Maxwell sitting by the fire. They both looked up as they came through the room.

“There you are!” Hana breathed a sigh in relief.

Riley looked between the two of them. “You’re up late.”

“We were worried. With you and Drake out there in the storm…”

“I’m sorry we kept you up.”

“Oh, I’m just glad you got back before it really started coming down out there.” She looked over at Drake. “But you must be freezing, Drake, dressed in just that.”

Drake looked down at his snow-soaked clothes. “Yeah. I’m going to go get changed. G’night, everyone.”

As Drake headed up the staircase, the room fell silent again. Hana stood between Riley and Maxwell, quietly looking between the two of them. Riley stood still, staring into the fire, as Maxwell sat with his legs bouncing restlessly. “I think… I should get some rest as well…” she finally said, breaking the silence. She placed a hand on either of their shoulders. “I’ll leave you two to talk.” She smiled softly. “Good night.” She made her way up the staircase.

Maxwell gradually got up, gathering his discarded jacket before looking over at her. He began heading toward the staircase, and she followed. It was a wordless walk between the two of them as they proceeded towards their rooms. They reached Maxwell’s room first, and he opened the door. He looked at her, moving out of the way so she could enter. She stared into the room for a moment, then slowly walked inside.

He shut the door behind him, setting his jacket down. His hands fidgeted as he tried to figure out what to do. She was still standing there, not making a move to sit down. He took a hesitant step toward her, finally breaking the silence between them. “Are… are we not friends anymore?”

Her head snapped up to face him, her eyes looking into his for the first time all day. “And what gives you that idea?”

“You’re not talking to me…”

“Wrong. I’ve been talking to you. I believe it’s you who didn’t want to talk to me.”

He could feel the frustration bubbling up in his throat. “Riley, I’ve been trying to talk to you every chance I get! But all you’ve done is…”

“Push you away?” her quiet voice interrupted.

He grew silent. The glimmer of hurt he had seen in her eyes that morning had returned. Only this time, it was no longer trying to hide.

“Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” There was a slight break in her voice as she spoke.

“Riley…” He moved toward her, pulling her into his arms. Her body immediately tensed up, starting to pull back, but he held on. Then her body began shaking softly. _Is she… crying? Oh please, Riley, don’t start crying on me…_ If she was crying, he didn’t know if he’d be able to hold it together himself. The two of them would be an emotional mess. He felt her draw in a shaky breath, and then the shaking stopped. Her body completely relaxed against him. Her arms tentatively reached around him, and the two of them stood there, holding each other, not saying a word.

“I’m sorry,” they both murmured at once. They pulled apart just enough to look at each other in surprise, and the tension immediately melted as they both mustered out a small laugh.

“You’re a jerk,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, I know… but who can stay mad at this face?” He moved his face closer to hers, grinning and waggling his eyebrows, causing her to giggle.

As he held her, he suddenly realized that last night was no longer so terrifying. What terrified him the most was losing this bond, losing this friendship, losing _her_ … and he could have succeeded. He rested his chin over her head, sighing heavily. “I don’t ever want to hurt you, Riley. That was never my intention. There’s just… things I need to deal with on my own.”

“I know… I’m sorry I tried to push so hard, Maxwell…”

“No, it’s not your fault.” He pulled back to look down at her again. “I really am glad to have you to talk to.”

She smiled again. It’d only been less than a day, but he’d really been missing that, and he couldn’t get enough of it. He pulled her over to sit down on the bed with him. “So, tell me what I missed out on today.”

“Well, I beat Drake in a ski race…”

“I’m sure he was thrilled.”

“Ecstatic. And at the same time, I managed to bury Olivia in an avalanche of snow.”

“And you’re still alive?”

“I stand before you unscathed. Can’t say the same for poor Aidan though. I’m surprised he didn’t go deaf from her screaming in his ear when the snow came at her.” She giggled at the memory.

“Surviving the screeches of evil banshees is just one of the Prince’s magical powers… didn’t you know that?”

“Magical powers, huh? What other powers does he possess?”

“His eyes aren’t really human eyes. They’re magic stones that can see things that others can’t.”

“Lame.”

“No, really. Legend has it that he can spot a beautiful princess even if she’s disguised in a waitress’s uniform in a faraway land and sweep her off her feet as he waltzes her across the ballroom floor in front of the entire royal court.” He smiled tenderly at her, squeezing her hand.

_Waltz… right…_ She gazed back at him inquisitively. “And what if this princess doesn’t know how to waltz?”

He lifted an eyebrow, standing up and offering a hand to her. “Then the Royal Dance Master must show her how.”

She took his hand, standing up with him. “I suppose she would have no other option than to accept the Royal Dance Master’s gracious offer.”

Maxwell smiled and placed his arm around her waist, dropping his mouth to her ear. “I’m so sorry. I knew I was forgetting something. I never thought to ask if you knew the Cordonian Waltz…”

“Drake sort of reminded me earlier after we had finished our ski race.” She and Maxwell began pushing aside furniture to create a space for dancing. “I appreciate you helping me…”

“Well, one, it’s my duty as your sponsor to ensure you succeed in this competition. Two, it’s not really just all about the competition—it’s about seeing you and Aidan get your happily ever after…” He managed to keep the smile on his face. “And three… it’s the least I can do after everything that’s happened today… I’m just sorry that I didn’t think to ask if you knew it. It’s good to know Drake’s looking out for you too.”

“Yeah…” Riley stared down at the floor, appearing to be deep in thought for a moment. Then she looked back up at him. “Alright. The Cordonian Waltz. How complicated is this going to be?”

“Well, we already know you’re a hell of a dancer. I vaguely recall meeting my match at Kismet…” He offered her an impish grin and laughed as she blushed lightly. “So, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you have a good sense of rhythm, I think you can pick it up easily enough. Now, the Cordonian Waltz is a choreographed dance with specific steps. As long as you know your part for each of them, you can follow your partner easily. I’ll put on some music, and we’ll start…” He looked through his phone and then started a waltz on a portable speaker he set up.

He turned to face her. “Okay, ready? I’ll be Prince Aidan in this situation, so you can learn your part.”

“Aidan? Can’t you simply just be Maxwell?”

Maxwell frowned and spoke in a near-perfect Bertrand voice. “Absolutely not. That would not be proper, Lady Riley!”

She wanted to laugh, but it was such a spot-on imitation she could have sworn the man was actually in the room with them. “…Maxwell, if you ever do that again, I’m staging an intervention.”

“Yeah, I think I scared myself on that one too.” He shuddered, then laughed. “Okay, back to waltzing. So, I’m Prince Aidan… Ahem. Lady Riley.”

She spoke with dramatic flair. “ _Prince Aidan_.” She curtsied to him in an exaggerated way, making him laugh, and he bowed to her.

“Now we get into position. Let’s have you put your left hand on my shoulder…” As she did so, he took her right hand with his left hand and put his other hand on her waist. He started guiding her. “This is the box step. It’s the most basic movement and kind of like a bridge between the other steps.”

Riley nodded, focusing on her steps. “So far so good…”

“Yeah… Now the next three steps are the reverse, spin, and the twirl. First, I’m going to lead you into the reverse.”

Riley could feel him shift his weight and stride forward. She moved backwards as Maxwell strode forward. The two of them effortlessly glided in a straight line down the length of the room.

“Perfect!” He smiled down to her.

“I mostly just followed your lead.”

“That’s a good thing. You’re able to read me. Did you feel when I put that slight pressure on your hand? It was a cue to move backwards…”

“Yeah… It’s an interesting way of communicating…”

“Ultimately, the waltz is like a conversation. You and your partner make a connection, responding to each other to make the dance work.” The two of them continued to move across the floor. “Okay, coming up on the last two steps … There’s the _spin_ … Just relax into this…” He moved so that he was grasping her hands as he began to swing her around. Riley relaxed into it, letting him swing her around, laughing as the room spun around her. He smiled as he listened to her laugh.

“This feels too fun to be a formal dance… Am I doing it right?”

“You’re doing it perfectly…” he murmured, keeping his eyes on her. At last, he steadied her, pulling her back into the box step.

“Do you ever get a little dizzy from all the spinning?”

“There’s a trick to that… Just focus your attention on one thing…”

“Okay, I’ll focus on you.”

“I… suppose that works…” He felt his face grow hot, and he knew he was blushing hard. Despite that and his pounding heart, he focused on continuing his instruction. “Now for the last step, the _twirl_ …” He twirled her so that she was facing away from him, his arms coming around her.

Riley smiled playfully. “Wow… this dance seems a little _scandalous_ for the ballroom…”

“The Cordonian Waltz _is_ a romantic dance… In the old days, it used to be that this waltz was the only way couples could flirt… I guess it’s more of a courtship dance, which is undoubtedly why Olivia chose it for the formal ball tomorrow.” He was trying _really_ hard not to focus on how close they really were.

“A courtship dance, huh?”

“Yeah, the last two steps are meant to be the most flirtatious…”

“I can see why. It’s very intimate…” She snuggled closer to him, causing his heart rate to go into overdrive. As the waltz music faded, the two of them swayed together for a second, and he could feel the heat of her body against his. As he looked down at her, she moved her head back so that they were face to face. Their lips were only a breath away from each other. “So…” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “How does the princess thank her Royal Dance Master?”

This… was not a dream. He swallowed hard, clearing his throat and calmly stepped away from her, his hands dropping. “The only thanks he needs is seeing the princess succeed and wow them at the court tomorrow.” He took her hand, squeezing it affectionately as he gave her a small smile. “More than that, he hopes it will help bring her path to happiness that much closer…”

“Maxwell…”

He looked down quickly. “So, that’s the Cordonian Waltz. If you know those steps, you’ll be more than fine.” He bit his lip and looked back up at her. “How do you feel about dancing it now?”

He was retreating again. Perhaps she had been wrong in her feelings. Maybe that’s all he wanted was to stay friends and she was one hurting their friendship. He was just being too nice to admit it. She sighed inwardly. “I feel very confident I can do it tomorrow.”

“Awesome. I know you’ll do great out there.”

“You’re a good teacher.” The two of them stayed quiet for a moment. “Maxwell, are you…”

Maxwell’s phone sounded off, and he looked down at it. He shook his head. “It’s Bertrand. I’ll call him back.” He shoved the phone back in his pocket. “Am I what?”

_…afraid of getting closer?_ “Tired.” _Coward._

He stretched his arms out. “Yeah… I suppose we should get some sleep.”

“Yeah… I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“You know it.” He pulled her in for a tight hug. “Good night, Riley.”

“Good night, Maxwell.” She headed for the door.

“Hey, Riley?”

She turned.

“I’m really, _really_ glad we’re not fighting. I really missed you.”

She smiled. “I missed you too.”


	8. Heartbreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a past... will his ruin everything?

** Chapter 8: Heartbreaker **

_I lost myself again  
Like the dead of the night  
I’m on a chase of fate as the world rushes by  
I’m bound to collide  
And now I won’t wait to walk away  
My last mistake  
Every time I go under I’m running from this_

**_(James Durbin – “Deeper”)_ **

Excited chatter filled the room as Riley and Hana were getting ready together for the ball. In the dressing room of Hana’s suite, Hana sprung out from behind a curtain, wearing a shimmering silver dress. “Ta-daa! How do I look?” She did a twirl, her skirt swirling smoothly around her.

Riley smiled, admiring her dress. “Wow, Hana, you’re going to set the ball on fire. Everyone’s going to be talking about your dress.”

Hana looked down at her skirt as she circled around a couple more times. “You really think so?”

“I’ll force people into awkward conversations about it if I have to.”

She laughed. “Come on, let’s pick your dress so we’re not late to the ball.”

“One eye-popping dress, coming right up!” Riley surveyed the rack of dresses. _Hmmm… what would a royal wear to a ball like this?_ A sleek ivory gown with a white fur wrap caught her eye. She already liked it once she had tried it on, but once she had stepped out of the dressing room, the reaction of her friend confirmed she had made the right choice.

Hana’s mouth dropped. “…Wow.”

“I take it you’re impressed.” Riley did a quick spin.

“That’s one word for it. Shall we be off?”

“After you, Lady Hana.”

Arriving at the chateau’s ballroom, the two of them spotted Maxwell across the room and drifted over to him. He bowed to them both. “Ladies… it’s a pleasure to see you both tonight.” His gaze fell on Riley, his eyes drinking her in from head to toe. “And Lady Mason, I must say, you look…” _Amazing. Gorgeous. Really,_ really _hot…_ “…utterly becoming. Truly, a diamond of the first water.” Damn her for choosing that dress.

Riley’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “That’s… unusually formal of you. What gives?”

“ _Tonight,_ I am representing the Duchy of Ramsford at this important social event.”

“That sounds suspiciously like something Bertrand would say.”

His smile faltered and his shoulders slumped slightly. “He’s been calling me all night to remind me.”

“Ah… you’ve got to be on your best behavior or else Bertrand will get on your case?”

He sighed, rolling his eyes. “Pretty much.” He tried to suppress a laugh as Riley made her classic Bertrand frown.

“Ooh, Olivia hired a full orchestra to play tonight!” Hana’s eyes glimmered with excitement as she watched the musicians set up and test their instruments.

“I’ve heard you’re quite the musician yourself, Hana,” Maxwell said.

A slight blush entered Hana’s cheeks. “Oh, no. I’m not…”

“Really? I feel like I remember hearing that you were a virtuoso pianist.”

“I still play from time to time, but only for fun.”

“I’d like to hear you sometime,” said Riley.

“I actually found a piano in the parlor here. I was considering sneaking over there to play tonight… You’re welcome to join me, Riley. But for now, we should be getting to our seats.”

Riley glanced around the room, noting the fancy name cards at each place setting. “Where are we sitting?”

“About that…” Maxwell gave an apologetic smile. “Turns out _I’m_ sitting at the head table with Olivia and the Prince… but you two are at the farthest table in the back. I guess Olivia put together the seating plan.”

Riley let out a sarcastic laugh. “Olivia’s making me sit in the back? _Shocker!_ I’m actually surprised she hasn’t locked me in my room yet!”

“Heh. While something like that’s unlikely, I wouldn’t give Olivia any ideas.”

Hana nodded in agreement. “Agreed. She already has enough schemes on her own!”

Riley shrugged. “Oh well… the company will be _much_ better at our table.” She winked and patted his arm lightly. “No offense, Maxwell.”

He shook his head. “None taken. Hell, I’d join you guys if I could.” He made a face. “Err… I mean, I should say, Olivia has greatly honored me!”

Riley giggled. “Don’t worry, we won’t tell Bertrand…”

Maxwell gave them a rueful smile. “Sorry to leave you guys, but…”

“Don’t worry about us, Maxwell. Riley and I will make the best of it!”

As Maxwell went to the head table, Riley and Hana found their way to the back and spotted a familiar face. Drake gestured his hand across the table. “Welcome to the table of exiles.”

Riley smirked. “Well… now I _know_ this is the worst table in the room.”

He leaned back in his chair. “We’re all just pawns lined up on the board in Olivia’s little game.”

“Are you telling me you actually know how to play chess?”

“Heh. I _did_ grow up at the palace. You should ask Prince Aidan sometime about who always won our matches.”

A wry smile grew across her face. “I may just challenge you sometime.”

“You’re on, Mason.”

“Well, truthfully…” She took the seat next to him. “I’m actually glad to see you sitting here. And here I was worried that we’d be stuck with some stuffy nobles.”

“It’s probably meant to be an even bigger slight that we’re with a commoner,” Hana said, taking the other seat next to him.

“Well, Olivia really missed the mark this time.” Riley nudged his shoulder.

Drake looked surprised, but managed a small smile. “Thanks, Mason. That actually means something, coming from you.”

Hana looked at him curiously. “Drake, you don’t seem bothered at all to be seated in the back.”

He shrugged. “What can I say? After enough years of getting treated like this, you build up a thick skin. Besides, back here? Out of the spotlight? At least we can relax.”

They all watched as swarms of servers carried dish after dish of delicious food to the other tables. “The food looks amazing,” Hana said as she stared longingly at the aromatic bowls being toted out of the kitchen. “I hope they serve us soon! I’m _starving_!”

Drake shook his head, giving a cynical look. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Where we’re seated, we’ll be the last to eat. If there’s even any left by the time they get to us.”

“But… the lobster bisque… do you really think we’ll go hungry?”

Riley stood up from the table. “Not if I can help it. This can’t be too different from hailing a New York taxi.” Scanning the room, she targeted a server who was walking towards their table. “Hey… please, I’m about to faint. I need food.” She reached her hand out weakly. “I haven’t eaten all day, I…” Her eyes fluttered as she put her hand to her forehead and began to fall forward.

Drake’s eyes widened as he sprung up from his chair. “Hey!” He reached out and barely caught her before she hit the floor. “Mason!”

Riley shook her head slowly, moaning, holding her hand over her face. “Please… food…”

Bewildered, the server quickly put out a plate for her before rushing off. Drake stared at her in shock. “I can’t believe that actually worked, Mason.” He shook his head as he helped her back up. “Just… warn me before you take a dive. Next time, I might not catch you.”

Riley patted his shoulder. “Oh, Drake. You know I like to keep you on your toes.”

Hana smiled hungrily at the bowl of soup. “Well, let’s examine our riches! One piping hot bowl of lobster bisque split three ways?”

“Let’s dig in!” Riley grabbed a spoon.

Drake gave a small smile as the burst of flavor and spices hit his tongue. “This is actually really good.”

Hana closed her eyes in bliss. “I’m in lobster heaven.”

“Solid work, Mason.”

“Yes! Thank you, Riley! We’d be lost without you!”

“Aw, thanks guys. I’m sure the rest of the food will show up soon, anyway…”

Thirty minutes later, the three of them were still waiting, with no indication as to when their dinner would arrive. “Wow… the service here is terrible.” Hana frowned.

Drake nodded. “All by design.”

“Even if it’s on purpose, at least it’s not the worse service I’ve had.”

Riley looked at her in surprise. “You’ve had worse service than _this_?”

“Believe it or not, I’ve been to a wedding where food wasn’t served until _midnight_. They got hideously behind schedule and decided to do an open call for speeches before dinner. It took hours!”

Drake put a hand to his face and raised his voice dramatically. “Oh, _heavens_!”

Riley glared at him. “Drake.”

“Please. I can tell you a _real_ horror story. Let’s set the scene. Casual get-together. Lots of people I don’t know, but that’s fine. There’s a bar, man’s true best friend. So I figure I’ll grab a drink. I go up to the bar, _and they’re out of whiskey!_ ”

“That’s practically a crime!”

“I couldn’t believe it either. How do you have a party without whiskey?”

“You can’t!”

Drake paused and stared at her for a moment. “You really surprise me sometimes, Mason. Thought a girl like you woulda just laughed at me for feeling that way.”

“Girl like me, huh?” She shook her head. “Once again, Drake, you underestimate me.”

“I gotta stop doing that, huh?”

“Uh huh… whiskey is practically a staple in my neck of the woods.” She looked around. “In fact… I could actually use some whiskey right now.”

“ _Now_ you’re speaking my language. But these dinners usually only come with some fancy wine and champagne.”

“And I have a feeling that we’d be lucky to even get _water_ at this point…” Hana looked around as the servers stayed mostly toward the front of the room.

“It’s too bad we probably won’t see a _real_ drink at dinner. From what I’ve seen, Olivia’s got quite a stash.”

“From what you’ve seen?”

“I did some exploring, and I happened to stumble across her wine cellar.”

Riley’s eyes raised in mild interest. “Really?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty impressive, actually, and not a bad place to get away from all of this for awhile…” He met her gaze. “Why don’t you join me there for a drink tonight, Mason? That is, if you’re not afraid of sneaking out after hours…”

Before she could reply, a server finally brought two more bowls of lobster bisque to their table. Riley took a taste from one of them and made a face, using everything she had in her not to spit it out right there. “Yuck!”

Hana watched her, nodding in agreement. “So it’s _not_ just me.” She moved her spoon around the bowl for a moment, frowning. “There’s no lobster in my bowl. It’s just… bisque. This is the saddest soup I’ve ever seen.”

Drake poked at the soup as well. “I’m not usually one to complain about free food, but this is ice cold compared to what we had earlier.” He frowned, irritated. “Which means Olivia did this on purpose.”

Hana mustered out a smile. “Well… at least we got to have a taste of the _real_ meal, thanks to Riley’s quick thinking!”

“And we know that Olivia’s intentionally screwing with us.” Riley slowly pushed the bowl away from her in disgust.

Just then, the musicians began to play. Olivia stood at the front of the room, beaming at the full room of nobles. “Hello, dear guests, and welcome to the Nevrakis family’s chateau. It means so much to me that you would join me in this place that’s so dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy the festivities tonight as much as I will. Now, everyone, please join me up front to begin the Cordonian Waltz.”

Hana’s eyes widened. “But we haven’t finished eating!”

Drake shook his head. “I don’t think she cares.”

“Did you _really_ want to finish that ice-cold mess anyway?” Riley made a face, then looked toward the dance floor. “Well… let’s do this.”

Drake hung back, looking uncomfortable. Hana turned to him. “Aren’t you joining us, Drake?”

“Waltzing isn’t my thing. I’ll be here with the…” He stared down in repulsion at the orange mess that was slowly starting to gelatinize from sitting so long. “… _food_.”

Leaving Drake at the table, Riley, Maxwell, and Hana headed over to the dance floor, where they could see Prince Aidan approaching Olivia.

“Olivia…” He bowed slightly to her. “May I have this dance?”

She smiled gleefully and took his hand. “Of course. _Anything_ for you, Prince Aidan…” She curtsied as he swept her into his arms.

Hana turned back to Riley and Maxwell. “It would be unspeakably rude for Prince Aidan not to dance this waltz with the hostess.”

“I guess that’s what happens when you have home court advantage…” Riley said, watching the two of them glide down the dance floor.

“That doesn’t mean you won’t dance though…” Maxwell held out his hand to her with a warm smile on his face. “In fact, Lady Riley, may I have the honor of this waltz?”

Riley returned his smile, placing her hand in his. “Maxwell, it is I who would be honored.”

He bowed to her. “My lady…” Just before he led her out, Hana caught his eye, and she smiled at him with a knowing look. He quietly cleared his throat and looked over at Riley. “Shall we?”

Together, they become part of the loose circle forming on the dance floor. Maxwell put one hand on her waist and raised her hand in a classic ballroom pose. “So…” he heard her murmur quietly. “We meet again, Royal Dance Master…” He swallowed hard, feeling his heart start to pound already. It was going to be another dance of self-control and restraint… and this time, it was in public. “Now it’s time to see if all that practice paid off.”

As the music picked up, the couples began the waltz. Maxwell stepped forward, she moved backward. He guided her into a pretty glide down the length of the room. “Very nice, Riley…” he whispered.

“I try…” Her gaze burned intently at him.

He tore his eyes away to get ahold of himself. Just ahead, he could see Olivia grasp Aidan’s hands and glide into an elegant spin. “Hope you’re ready for this…” He grasped her hands and started spinning her around, feeling her instantly relax into it. He swung her around in time to the waltz, and he smiled as he listened to her laugh through it. “Now, here we go… last move…” He twirled her so that she was facing out, her back to him as he drew her close, breathing in sharply as he felt her warm body press up against him.

She could feel his strong arms wrapping around her, warm and reassuring. She moved her head back to lean against his chest as they swayed together. “Maxwell… there’s no one else I’d rather be dancing with right now…”

His mind began racing and his heart thudded so hard he thought it was going to force its way out of his chest. _Did she just say… She couldn’t have meant… No, that’s not what she…_ He shook his head slightly, trying to regain his composure. “Riley…” he breathed out.

“What?” Her eyes lifted to meet his.

“It’s better if you don’t talk like that…”

She only snuggled closer against him. “It’s not like anyone can hear us.”

He eased himself back slightly. “No, but if they did…” He took a deep breath, giving both of them the reality check they needed in this moment. “You’re a suitor. You should _always_ be thinking of Aidan.”

“Well, perhaps Olivia shouldn’t have chosen this waltz…” Riley stared at him defiantly, which didn’t help the speed of his heart rate. Rebel Riley was nearly as hot as Angry Riley. This was not working well for him. He quickly looked away, trying to focus on their steps.

They swayed together for several beats before he let go of her hands, gently pushing her forward. “Time to switch partners… you’ll go through the same steps, so just do what you did with me, and you’ll be great!” He thought he saw a flash of sadness pass through her eyes as he pushed her away, but he barely had time to really look before his own next partner came into his view and practically fell into his arms.

“Why hello, Lord Maxwell,” she giggled, obviously already having had her share of the champagne. “You’re looking dashing tonight!”

_Oh joy! Princess Poodles._ She’d been crushing on him for a while. “Good evening, Lady Penelope…”

Riley glided forward, and on the next strain of the waltz, she found herself in Aidan’s arms. “Aidan…”

Aidan smiled down at her. “Why, hello there.”

“Fancy running into you.”

“You mean, on the dance floor of a private ball during a choreographed waltz?”

“Well, when you put it that way, it seems inevitable I’d run into you… but to be fair, I haven’t seen a lot of you lately…”

“True. I’ve been a little preoccupied. Olivia is the hostess… and I’d be remiss in my duties if I didn’t spend time with all the women here…”

“I can understand that. You’re not just marrying for yourself. It’s for the Crown…” She found herself focusing on her steps as they moved across the dance floor.

“Yes. No matter how I feel… Well, we’ll have to see what happens in the coming weeks…” He noticed her gaze had fallen from his, and he couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t like he could just be with her and only her at this time. She was risking her heart for him during this whole thing, and tonight appeared to be one of those nights where the idea was weighing on her. As he led her into the twirl and held her against him, he lowered his mouth to her ear. “But Riley, you should know… you _are_ special to me…” He smiled at her as her gaze returned to him. He spun her out of the move in time to the music, and she held his gaze until Olivia glided into their field of vision.

“ _Ahem_.” She glowered at her with a hand on her hip. “Lady Riley, I believe he’s _my_ partner now…”

She let go of Aidan’s hand, dancing back to Maxwell and rescuing him from the non-stop poodle chatter. Although rather than listening to poodle talk, he had been watching her and Aidan as they twirled around the floor. The guilt inside him had returned as he’d seen the joy in his friend’s eyes as he held her for those brief moments. “Watching you two together… I can tell that Aidan cares for you a lot…”

“Yeah… but…” Her eyes lowered. “…our relationship is so strange. It’s not like he can just sweep me off my feet and carry me out of here.”

“When you’re royalty, the rules are different.”

“I know that… and yet…” She looked up, trailing off as she saw Maxwell’s appalled expression. She turned just in time to see Olivia lean in close to Aidan and kiss him deeply on the dance floor. _Wow. Just… wow._ She watched quietly as Olivia wrapped her arms around Aidan.

After way too long a moment, Aidan gently pulled away, his facial expression remaining polite, but his eyes unable to hide the shock.

Olivia hung her arms around his neck, grinning. “Aidan…”

Aidan slowly moved her arms down. “Olivia, uh, let’s… _talk_. Perhaps outside?”

Riley watched them walk away as Maxwell led her to the sidelines where the other ladies were gossiping over Olivia’s move.

“Well, _that_ was a bold play…” Penelope sipped her cocktail.

Madeleine smirked. “Little Olivia is growing up. How sweet.”

“Aren’t you upset by that?” Riley asked.

“Ostentatious displays are for those who are either unrefined or insecure. I am neither.” Madeleine gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.

“We always knew that she and the Prince were close,” said Penelope.

Kiara glared. “It was a power move, if you ask me.”

“Right… excuse us, one moment.” Maxwell led Riley away from the other ladies. “We have a chance to play a little politics here.”

Riley glanced over to where Aidan and Olivia had disappeared. “Is this the kind of politics where I slap the smirk off Olivia’s face?”

He let out a small laugh. “Not quite, but attacking her alliances is the political equivalent of that. Look at Kiara.” He nodded in the direction of the hors d’oeuvres table. “She’s clearly upset at Olivia’s display. And she’s alone by the appetizers right now. This is what we call an opportunity. You should get on her good side. If you can drive a wedge between her and Olivia, it might weaken Olivia’s position. And if Kiara has good things to say about you, it’ll help your reputation at court!”

“I’ll give it a shot.” She crossed the ballroom and approached Kiara. “Excuse me, Lady Kiara.”

Kiara looked at her in surprise. “Oh! Lady Riley. Comment ca va?”

She was suddenly grateful for the single semester of basic French she had taken as an elective in high school. “Lady Kiara… ca va bien.”

Kiara smiled. “Magnifique. What can I do for you?”

“Let’s discuss Olivia. What did you think of her little display?”

She frowned. “I can’t believe her. She wouldn’t have the guts to do that anywhere else. She’s gone mad with power here.”

“I think Olivia went too far.”

“She only did what we’re all wishing we could do. If anything, I have to give her credit for pulling it off.”

“But that doesn’t mean we have to stand by and accept it. Right now, she clearly has the upper hand. She’s the greatest threat here. It’ll take more than one of us to beat her.”

Kiara nodded, considering her words. “Interesting…”

“We need to stick together. Otherwise, we don’t stand a fighting chance against Olivia.”

“Are you proposing an alliance? I wouldn’t normally entertain the idea, but you are fitting in remarkably well… You certainly look like you could be an important ally…”

“Yes. You should be my ally because I’ll support you too. Olivia’s friendship is a one-way street. Why should you always let her get her way?”

“You make a fair point.”

“We all need someone to speak well of us. We can help each other out.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“We need to have each other’s backs if we’re going to take down Olivia.”

“You know… we could both benefit from a little well-placed support here and there.”

“I’m glad we see it the same way.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should mingle with what time I have left. A bientot.” She walked away.

As the night wore on, Riley mingled with other guests and danced more. By the end of the evening, she was getting tired, ready to head up to her room to freshen up before meeting up with her friends.

That’s when she noticed Maxwell speaking with Lady Penelope. He was leaning casually against the wall, smiling down at her, and she was laughing, placing her hand on his arm flirtatiously. Unlike the interaction with Aidan and Olivia, watching this made her stomach drop. She suddenly felt the need to get out of there as fast as she could.

As she was making her way out of the ballroom, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. _Aidan_. Of course. Why was she always questioning this? He had no problem telling her he cared about her. If they ignored the whole royal competition business anyway. Maybe she really just needed to focus on him. Maxwell would probably be elated. He had been rooting for them this whole time.

“Hello, Lady Riley. As usual, you are a vision. You look lovely.” Aidan took her hands and kissed her cheek.

She blushed lightly. “Aidan, I’m glad you found me. I was afraid I’d have to leave the ball without seeing you again.” Her eyes flashed a teasing glint as her fingers traced over his lips. “So… these are the same lips that kissed Olivia? I’m surprised they’re still warm…”

Aidan gave her a rueful look. “It was an unexpected advance. She caught me by surprise.”

“Maybe you should’ve thrown her off of you,” she laughed.

“I thought it would be better to handle it quietly and cause less of a scandal… I didn’t want to embarrass her.”

“Always the considerate Prince…”

He squeezed her hands affectionately. “I know we haven’t seen each other much on this trip.”

“It’s been a hectic few days…”

“A strange few days. I spend all of these events rushing from person to person, trying to say the right things and keep all the nobles happy…” He leaned a little closer to her. “But at night, I find myself lying awake for hours in the grand suite, unable to sleep…”

She smiled, intrigued. “The grand suite? That sounds fancy…”

“Oh, it’s the best room. It’s upstairs at the end of the quiet east wing. It comes with everything…” His gaze traveled up and down the length of her dress before returning to her eyes. “…even a hot tub under the stars, overlooking the mountains.”

“Sounds… romantic…”

“It would be… with the right person. Unfortunately, I’ve got no one to share it with…” He smiled down at her, his eyes inviting.

She couldn’t believe she was about to say this. “Maybe I can help you with that…”

“Oh? Are you sure you can manage it?”

_Down, Riley._ “I’m not making any promises… yet.”

“Prince Aidan? If I might interrupt?” The two of them looked over to see Lady Penelope standing next to them.

Aidan nodded politely. “Of course. I know we haven’t spoken all day, Lady Penelope. Lady Riley, good night.” He winked at her as he kissed her hand and then turned to Penelope.

Riley’s gaze turned to find Maxwell standing nearby as well. How long he had been watching them, she wasn’t sure. Although he was smiling in their direction, there was something else in his expression that was unreadable. She made her way over to him. “Walk me to my room?”

“Sure.” He offered her his arm and the two of them made their way out of the ballroom.

“So what are you up to tonight?” she asked, breaking their silence as they walked. “Hana and Drake have already asked me to take some time with them, and well, I know you saw Aidan with me just now…”

Yeah. He saw them all right. Very tail end of the conversation actually, thanks to being cornered by Princess Poodles for several minutes. All he had caught was hot tub under the stars… and the stars in her eyes when he mentioned it. He had no idea why it was bothering him so much this time. He had found ways to put them together so many times already. And while it hurt him every time, none of them hurt nearly as much as watching that exchange now. This had to stop. He needed to separate himself and return to his comfort zone.

“I’m, uh… heading out tonight.”

“You leaving?” She paused in her steps.

He laughed softly. “No, no that’s not what I meant. I just meant _out_ , as in out in the city.”

“Oh.” She nodded as she started walking again. As they reached their rooms, she looked back up at him. “Have fun tonight.”

He winked, shooting a finger gun at her. “You know it.”

Her smile did not quite reach her eyes. “Good night, Maxwell.” She shut her door behind her.

Suddenly going out didn’t sound like such a bad idea. He needed the distraction. He wanted to forget. He needed to immerse himself in something other than this damned competition. How much more could he irritate his brother by breaking another rule anyway? A smirk crossed his face at the thought as he pulled out his phone, looking for nightclubs in Lythikos.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Carl was the first to appear in a window on her laptop, followed by Daniel a moment later. “Hey guys.”

“Well, if it isn’t the famous Mystery Woman!” Carl raised his beer to her.

“In the flesh! Do y… Daniel, what the hell are you eating?”

“Don’t judge me.”

“Just another failed attempt at cooking, baby sis. Give him a break,” Carl laughed.

“And it’s… edible?”

“Hey!”

“He’s alive and breathing, that’s all that matters.”

“Okay… weird cooking experiments aside…” She bit the inside of her lip. “Would it be weird if I said I needed some advice?”

“Not really… but what about?” Carl leaned against the arm of his chair, his concerned eyes fixed on her. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, I just… wanted to know about… well…”

“This _must_ be good if you’re that nervous. Spit it out. It’s just us.”

“Yeah, come on, Riley,” Daniel echoed, his mouth full of… whatever the hell he was eating.

“Just about guys… and I guess, dating.”

A brief look of understanding flashed through his eyes. “Well I can probably tell you anything about what a guy may be thinking, but as far as _dating_ … you know my dating history in the last few years has pretty much been the random hook-up when hunger strikes… which is not exactly something I’d want you to look to for inspiration.” Carl smirked as he took a sip of his beer.

“And my relationships don’t exactly last very long. I mean, I can be somewhat of a romantic at heart, but it’s not like that’s been helpful for me. I don’t know how much help I can be to you.” Daniel frowned. “If anything, _I’m_ the one who always goes to _you_ for advice.”

“Maybe this was a bad idea…”

“No, no, just tell us what you need. We’ll see what we can come up with.” Carl waved his hand for her to continue.

“Is it problems with the prince?” Daniel asked.

“Not exactly _problems_ …” She took a deep breath. “We’ve had our little meetings… where we’ve snuck off and had our time together. Short and sweet. Not much went on. He’s been great. Very sweet… polite… a real gentleman.”

“Sounds like you’re bored out of your damned mind. You’re putting _me_ to sleep.” Carl faked a yawn.

“He’s not boring at all, but that’s beside the point.” She started fidgeting with a nearby pen. “He’s… invited me to his room tonight…”

“ _Now_ we’re getting somewhere.”

“Carl, shh!” Daniel rolled his eyes.

“And he was pretty specific about there being a hot tub outside, under the stars…”

“ _There’s_ the romance!” Daniel smiled. “Where’s the issue?”

“Interesting…”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

Carl raised an eyebrow. “Considering the guy has barely even kissed you at this point, I’m only assuming your shy little prince is just looking for an excuse to score a look at what’s under that dress of yours… Nice choice for tonight, by the way.” He took another sip of his beer and gave a roguish grin. “Of course… if _you’re_ curious to see what’s underneath that royal suit of his, I guess it’s a fair trade, isn’t it?”

“I really regret saying anything right now…” Her face immediately turned several shades of red.

“I knew it.” He laughed out loud.

“Wow, Riley,” Daniel laughed.

“Ugh, enough with that!” She put her hands to her face. “Okay… but there’s something else that’s been on my mind…”

“Go on…” Carl’s eyes flashed with amusement.

“Aidan’s great. I mean, I can easily see myself falling for him and possibly getting married to him… but now there’s this other guy who I’ve been getting really close to, and…” She paused as she watched Carl and Daniel share a knowing look with each other across the screens. “What?”

“It’s Maxwell, isn’t it?” Daniel grinned.

She stared at them. “How…”

“Called it!” Carl smirked as he raised his beer to Daniel. After he took a drink, he exhaled slowly, then looked at her with a serious expression. “Humor me for a second? He’s good with you, right? Nothing… _out of line_ with him?”

“Um… yeah…? Everything’s great. We get along really well for the most part.”

“Most part, huh…” He looked down at his beer, tapping on the bottle with his fingers. “Okay, new question… What’s your take on Trend?”

“Trend? As in Trend Magazine? They’re one of Cordonia’s top news sources. I get interviewed by them constantly.”

Carl glanced at Daniel, who shook his head at him worriedly. “Carl… don’t.”

“She has a right to know about these people.”

“Carl, what’s going on?”

“Something came up when I did my search on your friend, Maxwell. I’ll send it over to you now. Check your email.”

Riley opened her email and pulled up an image file, revealing it to be an older _Trend_ magazine, with Maxwell’s smiling picture on the cover and the headline ‘ _Spring Beaumont Bash: Party of the Year’_ with the subtext ‘ _Exclusive Look at Cordonia’s Hottest Playboy_ ’. “…What is this?”

“It came out shortly before they visited in New York.” Daniel looked at her sympathetically.

Carl watched her expression carefully as she looked at the file. “You know the guy better than we do at this point, but… if that news outlet is as big as you say it is, and he’s had a reputation like that…”

“Yeah… I… I get it.” She was still staring at the picture. “I’m glad you told me.” She exhaled slowly and turned her eyes back to them. “So what does this mean? Are you telling me to stay away from him?”

“I’m not saying that at all.” Carl set his beer down, leaning his arms over his knees and giving her an earnest look. “Of course, I don’t want to see you get hurt, and something like this has the potential to hurt you. I saw this, and I’ll tell you right now, I know how this kind of lifestyle works. I’ve lived it. Let’s just say for a moment that everything Trend wrote is one hundred percent truth.”

She stared at the article covering again, then back at him. “Okay… go on.”

“For someone like that, you’re going to need to tread lightly. A guy used to living this kind of lifestyle may not know how to quit. Even if Maxwell _is_ interested in you, getting close is eventually going to scare him right back to where he started. Because it’s easier for him rather than dealing with anything he hasn’t faced before. He’s already lost too much to care whether or not he’s pushing you out of his life. He’ll keep secret after secret from you, and he _might_ feel guilty only if you catch him…”

“You make him sound like a complete monster…”

“I know. But everyone has a dark side. We all do. You said he was good to you, so if you’re willing to ride that train, see where it takes you. If and when he ever realizes you’re the real thing, then all of this will stop… and I can pretty much guarantee the guy will never leave your side after that.”

The sound of someone blowing in a tissue was heard, and they both looked over to see Daniel sniffling. “Sorry, that was beautiful.”

“Oh _god_ … how much have you drank?” Carl rolled his eyes.

“He’s right, Carl… as long as I’ve known you, I’ve never heard you get so… _deep_.”

“Both of you need help. My work here is done.” He picked up his beer and took a giant swig, then glanced at it and tossed it aside. He got up and disappeared from the screen, returning a moment later with a glass of whiskey.

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “And you got on Daniel for drinking too much?”

“I hate too much fuzzy talk. You know that.” He smirked and took a sip of the whiskey.

Riley smiled and shook her head, then turned as she heard a soft knock at the door. “Hold on.” She went to the door and opened it to find Hana standing there.

“Hi there!” Hana smiled. “Thought I’d come up here and see if you still wanted to come down to the parlor.”

“Yeah, of course. Come in.” She brought her over towards the laptop. “Guys, this is my good friend, Hana. Hana, these are my brothers, Carl and Daniel.”

Hana waved at them. “It’s nice to meet you both!”

Daniel smiled and waved. “Hi Hana!”

“Well, _hello…_ ”

“Carl!”

“What? I just said hello.”

“And we’re saying good night. Hana’s going to be playing piano in the parlor and I’ll be heading down with her.”

“Oh… so this is a… _private_ session?”

“Ugh, Carl…” Riley rolled her eyes. “ _Good night!_ ”

“No fun, baby sis.” He blew her a kiss. “Love you. And hope everything works out for you.”

“Good night, Riley. Let us know if you need anything.” Daniel waved. “Nice to meet you, Hana!”

Riley shut down her laptop and looked over at Hana, who laughed. “They seem nice.”

She shook her head. “Sometimes they’re the only ones who help me keep my sanity, and other times… well…” She threw up her hands.

Hana giggled. “Shall we?” The two of them made their way through the chateau’s foyer and entered the parlor that was brightly lit by the moonlight. “You know… I wasn’t sure if you wanted to come.”

“Are you kidding? I couldn’t pass up a chance to hear your famed musical talents.”

Hana sat contemplatively at the piano, staring out the window. “Oh, it’s hardly all that! I hope I haven’t gotten your hopes too high for this…”

“Don’t sell yourself short.”

Hana looked back at her. “I have to admit, I’m nervous to play in front of you.”

“Why?”

“It’s been a long time since I performed publicly. My parents used to trot me out at every dinner party and luncheon that happened to have piano present. Until one day when they forced me to play at a ball and I made an absolute fool of myself, missing every note and playing out of key.”

“Sounds like you were angry.”

“That’s right. Everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve become… it’s all my family. For them to one day marry me off to the highest-ranking man they can find.” Her hands balled up into fists briefly before they relaxed against the keys again. “Playing the piano was the first thing I’d ever actually _enjoyed_. I couldn’t bear for them to take that too and make it theirs. I just wanted _one_ thing for myself. Anyway, my lapse in performance cured them of dragging me up on stage. You should’ve seen the couples dancing. Without a beat to follow, they were running into each other and tumbling down left and right! My parents were mortified, but I saw it as a victory. And I promised myself that I’d never play for anyone but myself again.”

“Oh, Hana… Are you sure you want to play for me? I don’t want to pressure you into something…”

“Oh, yes, this is _my_ decision, Riley. And that makes it entirely different. I’ve never had anyone I wanted to share my music with, so this is rather exciting for me. Please, sit.”

Riley took a seat near the piano. Hana settled herself at the piano bench and took a deep breath, her hands hovering delicately over the keys. And then she began to play. Delicate notes filled the air. _Wow… Hana is_ good _._ As the song came to an end, Hana gently rested her hands above the keys and then turned to her anxiously.

“There’s something so exhilarating about playing for someone else! I’d forgotten what the feeling was like. What did you think?”

“Hana, that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”

She broke out into a relieved smile. “Thank you, Riley. That means so much coming from you.”

“It was so incredible and haunting.”

“I’m so glad you understood it. That song is actually one I composed myself.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I wrote it when I was twelve. That was such a lonely time for me. I would sit by a pond at the edge of our estate, watching the water lilies bobbing in the water as the sun set. I remember so vividly letting my fingers trail in the water, pretending to play magical piano keys floating in the pond. Sometimes I’d stay out there for hours, just letting the melody run through my head. My mother was always very cross when she’d have to come find me out there. I’m afraid I was a rather morose child.”

“Hana, I wish we’d known each other as kids.”

“I’m sure my childhood would have been full of much more adventure and excitement if that’d been the case.”

“Too bad we don’t have a time machine. You deserve more happiness in your life.”

“Oh, I don’t mean to complain. I’ve been very lucky, honestly. To me, though, what matters is _now_ , and I’m having a wonderful time with you tonight. Now I’d like to teach you to play something.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Come sit next to me.” Hana took Riley’s hand and pulled her down to the piano bench with her. “It’s simple enough. Just tap the same keys that I tap.” She ran her fingers across the keys, swiftly playing an intricate melody.

“You… may need to do that again.”

“Hee hee. Sorry, how about something more simple?” She tapped out a few keys. “Want to try?”

“I think I’ve got it.” She ran her fingers over the keys, tracing the same pattern that Hana showed her.

Hana smiled and clapped. “Perfect! You’re a quick study.”

“You’re a good teacher. How are you so good at all these things?”

“As much as I’d like to claim it’s natural talent, it’s as I said before. My parents have been pushing me to learn all the courtly and social arts since I was young…”

“You must have had no free time.”

“Between school, dance, music lessons, and etiquette classes, my schedule was very full. My parents expected a lot. They were devastated when they didn’t have any sons, so they pinned all of their hopes on me. Every day of my life has been about grooming me to bring fame and fortune to my family by winning some prince or noble’s hand… For all the good it’s done after my last engagement…”

“Do you mind if I ask what happened? With your fiancé?”

“Peter was an English nobleman. He was well off and had an ancestral title and home… all of the things my parents always wanted for our family. We’d spend long afternoons horseback riding and sailing. He was very kind… That, and he’d been raised with romantic notions about true love and a lifetime of happily wedded bliss. It should have been perfect.”

“But?”

“But… the simple truth was that I didn’t love him… My parents never asked me what I wanted, never gave me reason to think that I might also love the person I’d marry. So when he proposed… I knew I had to accept. I tried my best, but he became suspicious. At our engagement party a month before the wedding, he cornered me and… he asked me if he was what I wanted. And even though I told him what he wanted to hear, I couldn’t keep back the tears. He knew me well enough by then to know. He could tell that I was miserable. I don’t think he ever understood why I would’ve gone through with it. But he was born to power and privilege. How could he understand? He was good enough not to make a big deal of it, but there was a lot of ugly speculation about why we parted. Especially because he got married shortly after to another woman…” She let out a long slow breath. “But that’s behind me now… My parents are upset with me, but they’ve given me another chance. Here, now.”

“But aren’t you worried that history will repeat itself… with Aidan?”

“Well… I’m hopeful that things will turn out differently this time. And I don’t want to disappoint my parents. Besides, it’s not all bad. They’ve been pressuring me to spend more time with you.”

“Why me?”

“Oh… I mean, you’ve got a special connection with the Prince… And if I’m close to you, then I’m closer to Aidan.”

“Wow… that’s quite a strategy.”

“Yeah… but I want you to know that I do _like_ spending time with you, Riley.”

“It’s good to have a friend around here… in this place.”

“Yeah, it is. It’s kind of funny that even though we’re technically competing against each other, we can be friends.” She smiled, reaching forward and giving her a small hug. “Heh. Well, it’s getting late. We should probably turn in for the night.”

“Yeah.”

“Riley? Thank you for coming tonight. It really meant a lot to me to be able to share that with you.”

“Hana, thank you for sharing your music with me. I appreciate that you trust me so much.”

“What can I say, Riley? You’re my best friend here. Maybe the only friend I’ve ever had, actually.” Hana smiled warmly at her and headed to her room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Colorful flashing lights, loud music and bass powerful enough to shake the building surrounded him. The moment he’d walked in, everything felt second-nature to him. Grabbing his drink at the bar and flowing naturally out onto the dance floor, clearing enough space for him to breakdance as he drew a crowd, he was completely in his element. No pain, no worries, no Aidan and Riley.

Thoughts of the ball, of his courtly responsibilities, of _her_ all began fading away as he poured himself into dance after dance. The harder and more extravagant his moves, the easier the thoughts became to push out. With every drink, the thoughts became fuzzier, and his internal self-destruct alarm bells became silenced for the night. As the music only grew louder, the thoughts further grew silent until they were literally pin pricks at the back of his mind. He had been numbed.

A beautiful blond in a shiny blue club dress met his eye from across the floor. The suggestive look in her eye told him all he needed to know. He smiled in her direction. By the end of the night, she would be his. Another mark to add on the long list of wild nights…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley returned to the chateau’s foyer when something caught her attention. Near the kitchen, she could see a staircase spiraling down. _Well, Drake_ did _say he’d be in the wine cellar if I wanted to meet him for a drink. I think the wine cellar is this way…_ She descended the spiraling staircase and found herself in the wine cellar.

Drake glanced up at her, an empty glass in his hand. “There you are, Mason. I was beginning to think you didn’t have the guts to show. Y’know, breaking the rules, out after curfew and all that.”

She folded her arms, smirking. “Actually, I’ve got more than enough guts to keep up with you.”

“I’m starting to believe that. So, what’re you drinking?”

“What’ve you got?”

“Nothing yet. It seems like Olivia has a _very_ extensive collection of fine Cordonian wines. I’m no expert, but from the names I recognize, nothing in here’s under a thousand dollars!”

“You want to drink Olivia’s wine? Pass me a bottle! She’s got so many bottles here, she’ll probably never even notice.”

He chuckled. “Before you pop something open, I also brought a bottle of whiskey down for myself… but I’d share it with you. So pick your poison.”

A small smile fell across her lips. “Whiskey. Need you really ask?” Drake grinned and handed her a glass. She sipped the whiskey, the fiery taste warming her. “So. You came down to the _wine cellar_ to drink _whiskey_? Doesn’t that seem a little silly?”

“I came down here to get a little commoner time by myself where I don’t have to bow and kiss hands for a few minutes.”

“Drake, if you hate nobility so much, why do you stick around?”

He gazed in his glass, nodding. “It must seem ridiculous to you.”

“To be honest, I don’t understand why you put yourself through it.”

He looked back up at her. “It’s Aidan. It’s always been for him. I would’ve left a long time ago, but Aidan needs me. I know he’s got nobles and courtiers all around him, but most of them would stab him in the back if they thought they could profit from it.” His eyes filled with anger. “I’ve seen so many underhanded moves that I don’t trust any of them anymore. And these are from our _friends!_ And this latest one…”

Her lips parted in surprise. “What happened?” she asked quietly.

He frowned, realizing he had spoken too much. “I… I’m not sure I should tell you. It’s still being resolved.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “You’re always saying I need to watch out… it’d be nice to actually know what for.”

“You remember Aidan’s bachelor party?”

“Of course.”

“We found out that someone close to us that night was trying to sell pictures to the tabloids.”

“But who? Who would do that?”

“We haven’t tracked down the source yet, but I just got a message from Bastien that we were able to buy the photos back before they were printed.”

“Call me crazy, but I don’t remember anything that scandalous happening…”

“You know how the tabloids are. A picture with a drink in his hand, and suddenly the crown prince of Cordonia is on a drunken rager. And then there’s the pictures of the two of you together.”

“What? But we weren’t…”

“The two of you were talking, and he was _clearly_ interested in you. That’s enough for them to speculate on. What was the headline the tabloid was going to run? ‘ _Prince Aidan’s Drunken Fling Before the Ring!_ ’” His hand balled in a fist against his leg.

“And you have no idea who would do this?”

“Not really. There are a lot of people who would be desperate for those photos… I just hope it wasn’t one of the guys.” The expression in his eyes flitted between anger and sadness at the thought of betrayal. “The pictures they had… Those would’ve been hard to take unless that person was someone close to us…”

She stared into her drink, slightly upset at the thought. “I’ll watch out…”

He nodded. “Good. Money and power make people do crazy things, Mason. I just don’t want to see you get hurt because of it.”

“Drake…”

“I mean, sometimes I look at you… and I see this wide-eyed baby deer who just stumbled into the hunter’s campsite.”

“A baby deer?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m more like an alpha wolf. Anyone coming at me should be prepared for a _fight._ ”

He chuckled. “You know what, come to think of it, maybe it’s the hunters I should be worried for. Your unique talent, Mason, seems to be putting me in my place.”

“ _Someone’s_ gotta do it.”

He stared hard at her. “What is it about you? You’re so frustrating, but…”

“…But?”

He shook his head. “Forget it. How about a toast instead?”

“What’re we toasting to?”

“To the moments in between.”

“Huh?”

“All the nobles think about are the big events. The grand balls, the press appearances, the banquets... They don’t even realize that the moments that matter the most are all the ones they’re missing. Moments like right now, just the two of us and some cheap whiskey. The ones that really mean something. At least, it means something to me, anyway.”

She smiled softly as she raised her glass. “Well… it means something to me too.”

Drake raised his glass. “To the moments in between.” The two of them toasted and downed the rest of their drinks. “Now, it’s getting late, and I don’t want to get you in any trouble.”

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “That’s so thoughtful of you.”

“I’m a gentleman, even if not one by birth.” He smiled at her before heading off to his room. “G’night, Mason.”

She returned his smile. “Good night, Drake.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He watched from his seat at the bar as she approached the opposite end, carelessly setting her drink down on a lone table and walking away for a moment. He could already see where this was headed. His eyes fell on three not-so-friendly looking gentlemen sitting nearby, who had also had their hostile eyes on her. He cleared his throat, quietly getting the attention of the bartender, and the two of them began to observe as one of men reached over and put his hand over the woman’s drink. The bartender looked toward the door and nodded in the direction of the men. Two giant bouncers appeared in view, grabbing them and escorting them out as they protested loudly.

She returned soon after, not even realizing what had taken place. The bartender had since removed her drink from the table and she looked around, confused.

He approached her, holding a new drink in his hand and offered it to her. She took it gratefully, smiling as she recognized him from earlier. Already loosened up from a night of drinking and dancing, her resolve had already been long dissolved. She downed the drink he gave her, then turned to him and placed her hand behind his head, pulling him against her for a heated kiss. He could taste the sweetness of the cocktail on her lips. A small pin prick of an alarm began ringing in his mind as they pulled back. He blinked slowly. What was he doing here again?

“So…” she said, laying her empty glass down on the bar and leaning against him, whispering the words that would incite the fire within him and burn any last decent judgment he had into depths of the earth, reducing his resolve to ash. “Shall we take this to my room?”

His eyes darkened as he gazed down at her ravenously. “Let’s go.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As she returned upstairs from the wine cellar into the chateau’s foyer, she made her way over to the main stairway, where she could see a light flickering upstairs in the east hallway that led to Aidan’s room. _Well, I guess this is it. A nighttime visit with Aidan_ does _sounds nice…_ She stealthily moved through the foyer, carefully testing the stairs for creaks before taking a step. Suddenly, she heard someone descending the flight of stairs above her. She quickly hopped the railing and hid under the stairs.

Tariq’s timid voice spoke out. “Hello? Is someone there?”

The wooden floor above her creaked with each wandering step he took. A mischievous smile overtook her face as she thought of a trick to play on him. “OooOOoooOOoo…” She moaned out in a spooky tone. “This is the ghost of your past misdeeds!”

She could hear Tariq pause in his steps. “Huh?!”

“As payment for your wrongdoings, I’ve come to take your most prized possession!”

Tariq gasped. “Not my hand-crafted shoes!”

She stifled a laugh, pushing herself to maintain her spooky persona. “You must atone or else I will take your fancy shoes!”

“They’re Italian leather! I’ll repent. I’ll repent!”

The floorboards above her rapidly creaked as Tariq raced away, and her body shook with silent laughter. _Hand-crafted shoes?_ That’s _all he cares about?!_ After composing herself, she quietly made her way up the stairs to Aidan’s room. She tapped on the door, and he opened it, smiling when he saw her standing there.

“Welcome. I take it nobody saw you.”

“I was stealthier than a cat on the prowl.”

He offered her his hand. “I want to show you something.”

She took his hand, and he led her onto a patio outside. Steam rose from the hot tub in front of her, and beautiful candles had been lit and placed along the edge. As she looked out from the balcony’s edge, a lake of ice spread out directly in front of them with a stretch of lit-up homes across the way. Snow-covered mountains surrounded them in the distance. “Wow… this view…”

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he murmured behind her. “… Now you see why I wanted to share it with someone.”

She stared at one of the candles nearest to her, her eyes mesmerized by the dancing flame. “Did you… light these candles for us?”

“Oh! I… well, yes.” A shade of red formed in his cheeks. “I wanted this to be… magical.”

“Aidan…”

“Was it…” His eyes grew nervous. “…do you like it?”

She smiled reassuringly. “It’s beautiful, Aidan.”

Relief filled his eyes, and he smiled, taking a long look at her. “You look so beautiful in the firelight.”

“Thank you for doing something so thoughtful.”

“Riley…” He took her hands and placed them against his heart. “I’ve never really had someone that I wanted so badly to please. I feel like I’d do anything to see you smile and know that I was the cause.”

She blushed and looked away. “Aidan…”

He released her hands. “Ahem. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get into the hot tub.” He removed his shirt and hung it on the railing. “Brisk.” He smiled as he watched her eyes sweep over him. “Your turn.”

_It’s just sitting in the hot tub. Nothing’s going to happen. We’re just two adults… two very exposed adults… in a hot bath together…_ She slowly worked her way through her clothes, until she was down to her undergarments. _Okay… it’s going to be fine. This is just Aidan._ She shivered from the icy breeze. “Wow… that _is_ brisk.”

“Then let’s warm up.” Aidan held out his hand for her. She took it, and he led her into the hot water.

“Ohhhh. This feels nice.” Leaning against a soft jet, she melted into the water.

“There are a few things better than a hot tub in the snow.” He gazed down at her, smiling as she took comfort in the water’s heat. “Riley, I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment the entire trip.”

She raised an eyebrow. “To… see each other half-naked?”

He laughed. “I’d say more than half. Eighty-five percent at least.”

“Good point.” She laughed with him. “But I did know what you mean… Aidan, we’re finally alone together.”

He nodded. “Exactly. I feel like I can be myself around you. You don’t know how rare that is for me. I’ve spent so long building up an image for the rest of the world… but you let me just be Aidan.”

“I happen to like Aidan.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You may be the only woman here who truly knows me.”

Riley felt his hand gently caress her bare arm. “Aidan…?”

The look of longing in his eyes was unmistakable. “You make me _want_ so many things, Riley… things I shouldn’t have.” He withdrew his hand and respectfully moved back. “That’s why I’ve got to be careful with you.”

“Careful?”

“I would never forgive myself if I… if I hurt you in any way.”

Riley reached over, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I know what I’m getting myself into. Besides, you’re the model of a good person. You’re always thinking of others and putting them first… whether it’s Olivia, your people, or your friends. You’re loyal, caring, and sweet. I feel lucky to know you.”

He smiled shyly. “You’re far too kind, Riley.”

“I’m just calling it like I see it!”

He chuckled. “I thoroughly believe that if you thought I was a pompous ass, you wouldn’t hesitate to tell me. I trust you, Riley. Everything you say.” He leaned closer to her. “Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to you.” He felt her wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her. “Riley…” he whispered against her. He pulled back, stroking the side of her face with his hand, staring intently into her eyes.

She returned his gaze. “What is it?”

“I was just thinking… what does love mean to you, Riley?”

“I’ve always imagined love to simply be building a happy life together.”

“That’s a very sweet picture of love.” He smiled warmly.

“What about you?”

A pensive look entered his eyes. “I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it in the past. I certainly wasn’t raised to have any expectation of romance in my life. It was only when I saw my brother fall completely in love that I realized how important… how _life-changing_ love can be.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” He sighed. “Oh Riley. I shouldn’t be saying anything to you… not right now.” He frowned, frustrated. “Part of me is furious with myself that I’m not treating everyone fairly like a good prince should. But the other part of my wants to damn all these princely responsibilities and throw myself into you.”

She considered her words. “And… if _I’m_ the one throwing myself into you…?”

Aidan breathed in deeply, gazing down at her. “I… probably wouldn’t resist for long. But I don’t want to do something you might come to regret… even if you don’t feel that way now.”

She nodded. “Should I leave? I don’t want you to feel torn because of me.”

He grabbed her hand, pulling her closer to him. “No… don’t go, yet. In this moment, let’s just enjoy this little time together while it lasts.” He wrapped his arm around her, and she rested her head against his shoulder. “I treasure all of our moments together, Riley,” he whispered against her.

“Me too.”

The two of them watched the moonlight over the mountains in companionable silence, as the distant howling of Lythikan wolves sung across the valley.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

His shirt was unbuttoned and halfway down his arms. He felt her hands run up his chest and a low groan escaped him. He pulled her to him, cupping her face and crashing his lips hard against hers before they traveled over her jaw and down her throat. He could feel the swell of her breasts against his chest as she pressed herself against him, and his hands moved down to caress them, drawing a moan from her lips as his mouth traveled back up to hers.

Out of nowhere, the warning bells returned, screaming from within the depths of his mind that he was spinning out of control. As they came up for air, he pushed back from her, breathing hard. She looked at him curiously and he stared back, trying to will his reluctancy away. She seemed to get the message that he was at a stopping point for the time being and placed a hand against him. “I’ll be right back…” She sauntered away into the hotel room’s bathroom. He sat on the bed, collecting himself. _This_ was who he was. _This_ is what he was used to. _This_ was his normal. He should be feeling good right about now. And here he was sitting with a gnawing feeling at the pit of his stomach. Guilt was gripping him like an iron fist and it was holding fast.

_What am I doing?_ He held his face in his hands. His high was over and realization was slowly kicking in. He could hear every adjective Bertrand would pull out of the dictionary as he would fly into a rage over this. _Reckless. Brash. Foolish. Negligent. Imprudent. Thoughtless. Careless. Irrational. Idiotic._ Okay, enough, Bertrand! _Preposterous._ Enough! He put his head down and placed his hands behind his head.

And Riley. Oh god, Riley. He shut his eyes tight. If she ever knew…

He jumped slightly as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He opened it to see the image of a dancing hippo and a text.

**Grace:** Saw this cute little gif and thought of you.

 **Grace:** Hope everything went well at the ball for Riley tonight.

 **Maxwell:** Thanks for that… 🙃 She was amazing as usual.

 **Grace:** It’s good she has someone like you in her corner.

 **Grace:** But with all you’ve told me, sounds like you’re just as lucky to have her.

 **Maxwell:** Thank you. I think I really needed to hear that right now.

 **Maxwell:** Like literally right now. This very moment.

 **Grace:** I’m glad I texted you then. 😊

 **Maxwell:** Me too.

He was still staring into the phone as she stepped out of the bathroom, scantily clad in delicate lingerie. She leaned against the doorway, smiling at him, and he got up from the bed, stepping toward her. As they closed the distance, he looked down at her, placing his hands on her arms. “I’m sorry… You _are_ beautiful,” he said quietly. “But I need to leave. Right now.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the night deepened, Riley could hear Aidan’s sigh as she leaned against him. “It’s getting late,” he murmured disappointingly.

“Yeah…”

“We should head in.”

“You’re right. But I enjoyed it while it lasted.”

He smiled down at her. “Me too.”

Aidan helped her out of the hot tub, and the two of them slowly put their clothes back on. Riley adjusted her wrap as she looked back at him. “I’ll see you soon?”

“You know I can only stay away from you for so long.” He pulled her into his arms for one last embrace before they finally parted ways for the night. “Good night, Riley.”

“Good night, Aidan.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley slowly made her way towards her room. _Whew, what a night… guess it’s time to turn in!_ As she neared the door, she glanced over at Maxwell’s door, wondering how his night went. Suddenly, her nose became invaded by the faint scent of cheap perfume in the air. The hair rose slightly on the back of her neck, and she knew she was no longer alone. Turning, she gave a slight gasp as she saw Maxwell standing right behind her. His hair was messed up, the expression in his eyes wild and adrift, and his shirt was half closed, the bottom part revealing his bare skin. _Maxwell…_

Damn. She was still up. The steamy rendezvous with Aidan must have taken longer than he’d anticipated. She had a light smell of chlorine on her skin, and the hair along base of her neck was damp. Did that even matter now? The look on her face when she turned around to see him standing behind her was everything. He cast his eyes down. He was a monster. “Don’t look at me…” he muttered painfully.

_Tread lightly…_ Carl’s words came back to her mind as the vision of the Trend cover flashed in her memory. Did something happen that she’d missed?

She carefully took his hands in hers, leading him slowly into his room. “Come on. We don’t want anyone seeing you like this…” She shut the door and turned to find his eyes glued to her.

Her eyes did not leave his as she gingerly stepped towards him. As she closed the distance, she looked down, running the back of her hand softly down the length of his hard stomach, drawing a shiver from him. “Riley…” he mumbled desperately, grabbing her shoulders. Her eyes widened slightly as she drew her hand back. The line had been crossed.

He turned around quickly, clenching a fist in front of him. He just couldn’t. He couldn’t let her know how badly he screwed up tonight. He couldn’t let her see this awful side of him. He couldn’t let her see just how much he _wanted_ her right now—how much his body was still so riled up that he just wanted to rip that dress off and take her right there against that door as if she was just another flavor of the night. She was better than that. She _deserved_ better.

His reaction was everything. She’d obviously had powerful effect on him. It sent her mind racing. Was her attraction to him _mutual_? And if it was, why would he hold back? Wait… he had been setting her up with Aidan all this time. He _wanted_ her and Aidan to be together, or at least, that’s what he kept saying. On top of that, her and Aidan’s marriage would save his house… Her mind crawled back to earlier that evening as she was leaving the ball, as she saw his eyes void of expression behind his smile while he’d watched her and Aidan plan to meet. Was he… _jealous?_ Like she had been with him and Penelope? Is _that_ why he even went out tonight? Was he trying to save his house only to break his own heart in the process? She thought about saying something, but what would she say? Perhaps it _was_ best to say nothing. After all, she could be _completely_ wrong about this…

“Maxwell…” Her hand took his arm, gently pulling him back around toward her, ignoring his wild eyes that were pleading with her to stay away. As he watched, she took hold of his shirt, tenderly sealing closed each open button until he was covered up again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest. “I’m not sure what happened… or _didn’t_ happen…” She lifted her head and met his eyes. “…but it’s obvious neither of us are in the right place tonight. Maybe it’s just better we leave this one at no questions asked…”

“Yeah, maybe…” He looked down at her, shaking slightly. He swallowed hard as he slowly brought his arms around her. “Are you okay?”

“Not really… you?”

“No. No, I’m not.”

“Then I guess this is going to be an extra-long hug…”

“You really don’t care that I…”

“No questions asked, Maxwell. This is you and me right now. We’re both not okay. And all we need is our friend. Let’s just be that tonight. No worries, no judgment, no hurt. Just friends comforting friends.”

He nodded, holding her tightly. She was right. He hadn’t realized how much he had needed her like this until she had said it. In his times of self-destruction, he had always faced the judgment and teasing of family and friends. For once, _just once_ , he was in the presence of a friend who gave neither, who would rather comfort him instead of make him feel horrible for what he had done. What he had done to deserve her, he’d never know… but he did know one thing… he never wanted to self-destruct like this again. He needed to find a better obsession… something different to pass the time at night that wouldn’t hurt everyone around him, especially her. She’d given him this pass tonight… but would she be so forgiving the next?

His eyes fell on an old notebook in his luggage he wrote in from time to time. Perhaps he needed to pick that back up again…

After several moments, the two of them pulled apart. She rubbed his arms soothingly. “Now… go get changed. I’ll do the same. We don’t need to be sitting here in our dress clothes.”

He nodded again, not saying a word. A little while later, he came out of the shower, dressed down in a t-shirt and sweatpants. He found her sitting at the side of his bed, waiting, wearing her own set of sweatpants and t-shirt. “Hey…” he mumbled.

She got up and grabbed his hands, pulling him towards the bed. “Get in.”

He froze, his heart starting to pound again. “…What?”

She squeezed his hands. “I said, get in. You need to get some rest. It’s been a very long night. I’ll sit here with you until you go to sleep.”

He was too drained to argue and just laid down. He felt her wrap a blanket around him a moment later, and he looked up at her. “You don’t have to stay. Probably better… I mean, if Bertrand ever found out…”

“Well, Bertrand can take that stick up his ass and shove it higher. I’m not leaving you.” She ran her hand through his hair and sat beside him.

“I still remember when you told him that… the look on his face…”

“I actually remember more the look on _your_ face!”

“Well, yeah! You were setting me up for death-by-Bertrand! What kind of friend is that?”

“Are you saying I’m not a good friend, Maxwell Beaumont?” She narrowed her eyes jokingly and reached down to lightly tickle his neck.

He squirmed away, a big smile breaking open across his face. “Hey now.”

“Hey, I think I just found your smile button!” she said teasingly as she tickled his neck again.

He wriggled away from her, grabbing her hands. “I thought you wanted me to go to sleep.” The playful sparkle was finally returning to his eyes.

“Yeah… that’s not working out so well, is it?” She laughed.

He sat up and hugged her against him. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him. “For what?”

“For understanding me without knowing everything… for letting me just be… for… for just being my friend…” He squeezed her tighter. “I mean, if you _really_ knew everything, I don’t think you’d…”

“Stop right there.” She pulled back and met his eyes. “Everyone makes mistakes, Maxwell. No one’s perfect. I like you the way you are. Now…” She squinted her eyes teasingly at him. “I believe the deal was we were supposed to be _forgetting_ what happened tonight and just leave it alone. Either you complete your end of the deal or face the consequences!”

He jerked and scrunched his shoulders up as he felt her fingers brush against his neck again. “Point taken.” He laughed softly.

She leaned against the headboard and looked at him. “We’re not getting any sleep tonight, are we?”

“Probably not… but here’s the good news. We still got a few more days in Lythikos, but not much has been scheduled. The court is just here to enjoy the snow and enjoy what the city has to offer before we move on to the next royal event. I’d say that gives us some good recovery time.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder, the weight of the evening finally starting to push down on her. “Works for me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_A few days later…_

“Hey Beaumont!”

Maxwell turned and ducked just in time to avoid a snowball hitting him square in the face. The snowball harmlessly exploded against the tree behind him. “Ha! Nice try!” He packed up a snowball in his gloved hands, hurling it back towards her.

Riley dodged quickly and the snowball flew weakly into a pile of snow, flattening back into the icy powder it had once been. She stuck her tongue out at him. “Not even close!”

“Oh really?” An evil grin popped on his face as he charged after her, snowball in each hand.

Her eyes widened and she took off running through the trees.

“Give up, Riley!”

“Not happening!”

He quickly caught up to her, tackling her into a pile of snow. She shrieked as he bombarded her head with a handful of snow and stuffed more snow down her jacket. “Yes! Bow to the Snow King!”

“Hey guys.” Hana approached, laughing at the two of them. “Everyone is gathering at the lodge now. We’re almost ready to go.”

“Thanks, Hana.” Maxwell grinned, and then his face was hit with a soft mound of snow. He shook most of it off and squinted over at Riley, who was proudly dusting her gloves off.

“Good look for you, Your Royal Ice Majesty.” She winked and started heading down the path toward the lodge.

Hana fell in step with Maxwell as they walked down the path. “So, things seem to be going well…” She received a silent nod in response. “I should tell you that there’s a rumor beginning to circulate the court about you two. Nothing big, but you know how these things get if not quelled.”

“We’ll deal with it if it comes down to that.” He focused on the path ahead of them. “Rumors are just that. _Rumors._ ”

“And… Aidan?”

“He has nothing to worry about.”

“But what if Riley…”

“She doesn’t.” The look on his face told her it was time to end the conversation there. She remained quiet as they continued up the path.

Rumors. He could figure the person starting the rumors was easily someone trying to discredit Riley to take her out of the running. Of course, it probably hadn’t helped much that the two of them had been holed up in his room for the last few days together. Half the time, he was now feverishly writing away in his notebook while she was engrossed in the Crown and the Flame saga. Sometimes they’d throw on music and challenge one another’s dancing skills. She _really_ came close to besting him on those, but not quite! And then sometimes, they would see what was on Netflix out of pure boredom.

And can’t forget the many times Bertrand would call to _make sure_ that Riley was keeping up with all of her courtly protocol lessons. She never did make it easy for him to sit through a phone call with Bertrand. Every time he called now, her new favorite thing to do was sit in front of him and make faces at every little thing said while he struggled not to laugh. The times she actually succeeded in making him laugh resulted in a _minimum_ two-minute lecture from Bertrand about conversational etiquette, in which Riley was only too pleased to imitate all the way through and again, force him to suppress his laughter. All in all, the last few days had made the night of the ball a night long forgotten, and their friendship was back on track.

He and Hana caught up to Riley and the three of them approached the lodge, where they found everyone gathered outside with all the luggage. “Looks like everyone’s just about ready.” Maxwell bounced from one leg to the other, trying to keep warm.

“I can’t believe it’s time to go.” Olivia pouted.

Kiara shivered. “I’m ready to get back to somewhere a little warmer!”

Hana turned to Riley. “Are you excited for the Royal Regatta tomorrow?”

“The Royal Regatta?”

“That’s the ceremonial boat race,” Maxwell explained. “Your next big event! You’ve been to a regatta before, right?”

Riley stared blankly at him. “Errr…”


	9. Pranks and Rumors

** Chapter 9: Pranks and Rumors **

Back inside the royal palace of Cordonia, Bertrand and Maxwell joined Riley as they walked back to the rooms after breakfast. Maxwell stretched his arms over his head. “Ahhhhhh… it’s so nice to be back. Don’t get me wrong. I loved our ski chateau adventure, but give me a good beach party any day!”

Riley looked at him curiously. “Is _that_ what’s going on today? I thought we were watching a bunch of boats race.”

“Well, the Royal Regatta is a morning of sailboat races…” He grinned as he began dancing in place. “…followed by an afternoon of beach party!”

Riley stopped and turned back toward Bertrand, raising a hand up and eyeing him inquisitively. “Hold up. Something is different today… It’s _Bertrand._ He hasn’t said anything grumpy all morning!”

Bertrand blinked. “Uh… _what_?”

“Normally, you’d be saying things like…” She threw on her best Bertrand frown for effect. “ _‘It’s not a beach_ party _, it’s a dignified beach_ soiree _!’_ Or… _‘Don’t embarrass House Beaumont, commoner!’_ ”

Maxwell was grateful for an actual moment in front of Bertrand where he could actually _laugh_ at him and not get chastised for it. “He _does_ say that stuff, doesn’t he?”

A single bushy eyebrow raised on his face, unamused, but he nodded. “I _suppose_ I’ve been distracted lately. I’ve been dealing with some complicated matters concerning our estate.”

“Oh… sorry to hear that.”

Bertrand nodded at her stiffly. “…Thank you, I suppose.”

“So… what do you mean by ‘complicated’?”

“It really doesn’t concern you…”

“Technically, I’m part of your house now, so… in a way, it does.” Riley crossed her arms.

“As am I,” Maxwell chimed in. “So, if you need help… we’re here.”

“I… I appreciate the sentiment. But for now… the most helpful thing you two can do is make sure the Prince chooses _our_ candidate.” He stared pointedly at Maxwell for a moment. “Now, I apologize for being distracted. You have my full attention.” Bertrand’s eyes shifted over to her, scrutinizing her current choice of clothing. “I have to ask… is that what you plan on wearing, Riley?”

Riley sighed. “Annnnnd he’s back.”

Maxwell smiled appreciatively at her casual appearance. “I think she looks good…”

Bertrand cast an odd glance at him. “Be that as it may…” He looked back at Riley. “…you may want something more seaworthy. Not only will you be participating in the first race—”

“Wait, I’m going to what?” Her eyes widened.

“But the Regatta is open to the public, so the press will be there to take photos and do interviews. It might behoove you to wear something more… nautical.”

“Can we go back to that part where I’m _racing_?”

“Anytime a social season involves picking a royal bride, the first race of the Regatta is traditionally one that all the suitors participate in. It’s mostly for show really…”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew. There’s no pressure to win then…”

“Oh, there’s pressure. The Regatta is one of King Constantine’s favorite events. He bestows an honor upon the woman who wins the ceremonial race, so it’s an opportunity to get in his good graces. But you needn’t worry. I’ve commissioned a qualified crew to man your boat. You just worry about looking good at the railing.”

“So… what you’re saying is I should go to the boutique.”

Maxwell shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to _look_ …”

Bertrand merely lifted an eyebrow. Yep. Discussion was over. “…On it.” Riley headed down the hall for the boutique.

Bertrand turned to his brother, a reproachful look already in his eyes. “Maxwell, you will follow me. We have things to discuss.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Now then…” Bertrand shut the door to their room behind him and turned to look him sternly. “I assume you know what this is about.”

Maxwell stared at him blankly. “What are you talking about?”

“Enough with the pretense, Maxwell! I’ve been hearing the rumors around the court.”

“Uh, which ones? There’s too much gossip on the floor to keep up with.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. The ones about you and Lady Riley! They say you’re… _close._ ” He narrowed his eyes.

Of course, Bertrand had heard the rumors. No wonder he had been acting strange this morning. It was only a matter of time before this got brought up and he would have to deal with him freaking out over it. His eyes met Bertrand’s and he calmly responded, “Oh. _Those_ rumors.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Nothing to worry about.”

“Of _course_ this is something to worry about! You know that speculation can become truth to the masses if appearing convincing enough.” He scowled. “And you and Lady Riley _do_ tend to spend a lot of free time together.”

“Isn’t that the idea? Spend an obsessive amount of time training her on courtly protocol, per _your_ instructions?” Maxwell didn’t blink. “There’s nothing we’ve done in the public eye that should be suggesting more than friendship.”

Bertrand stared at him for a long moment. “Very well. I will run damage control to ensure this doesn’t go any further.” Suspicion still lingered in his eyes. “I just hope you’re not going to embarrass this house again like you did two months ago.”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m the big screw-up. You can count on me.” He rolled his eyes. Bertrand had no clue as to why Maxwell exposed his life the way he did. He did what he had to do to save their house. To help his family. To help his brother. And of course, he would never see it that way.

“And it’s just as well,” he continued, as if he’d never heard him. “A woman in Lady Riley’s position is above you. I doubt she would even consider someone such as yourself a worthy match.”

“Oh really?” Anger engulfed his eyes. “Let’s just say, for the hell of it, that the social season wasn’t happening, and that we weren’t even in the market to sponsor someone. Let’s say I went to New York for whatever reason, met her in a bar, and we hit it off. Let’s say we actually hit it off so well that I decided to bring her home to Cordonia with me, because… I don’t know, she actually _was_ into me?”

Bertrand just stared at him, completely void of expression. “Are you quite finished?”

“What would you think of _that?_ Would you think we would have been a worthy match then?”

Bertrand glared at him suspiciously. “You’re awfully riled up over something that’s _just a rumor…_ ”

“And _you’re_ avoiding my question to dodge the fact that you just said I’m never going to be good enough for someone. _Again!_ ”

Bertrand opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. A moment later, he composed himself, returning to the same dismal expression he normally wore. “Maxwell… of course, someday I _assume_ you may meet the right person, but given the lifestyle someone like yoursel…”

“Shut up.” Maxwell shook his head. “Just. Shut. _Up_. I heard you loud and clear.” He started walking toward the door.

“Maxwell…”

“Don’t worry. I’m still helping you save House Beaumont’s reputation. At least that’s one thing I know you actually _care_ about.” He opened the door and turned to face him with a smile that refused to meet his eyes. “See you out on the marina, brother. I’ll keep my game face on.” The door shut coldly behind him.

He quickly walked down to the boutique, doing his best to quash his anger. He knew he shouldn’t have let it happen, but Bertrand always had a knack for getting under his skin. Most of the time, he could let things slide off his back, as he had gotten used to his brother’s attitude, but other times, the insults, the belittlement, the brutal attacks on his character all added up, and his patience would shatter.

He entered the boutique and smiled as he found Riley admiring herself in the mirror. She had selected a navy and white striped top with a short pair of navy-blue shorts tied together with a length of rope for a belt. It really, _really_ showed off her long legs, and his eyes could not help lingering. She slowly turned and smiled when she saw him standing in the doorway. “Hey,” he said, moving further inside and shutting the door behind him. “Looks great…”

Her big brown eyes stared into his own curiously. “Maxwell… is everything all right?”

He could never seem to hide himself well from her, even if he was smiling. “I’m okay,” he said with a shrug. But he could tell by looking at her eyes that she was not having it.

“What did Bertrand do?” She narrowed her eyes, folding her arms across her chest.

He stepped toward her, putting his hands on her upper arms. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, smiling. “Can we just leave this as another ‘don’t ask’ moment?”

She stared at him for a long moment, considering. “All right, I won’t ask,” she finally said, pulling him into a hug. “But let me know if I need to slap him… there’s a bonus repeat option available. Unlimited supply!”

He chuckled against her, holding her close. “I don’t think that will be necessary, but I appreciate it.” Screw Bertrand. He didn’t give a damn what he thought. Because right now, this was what mattered. Whatever the hell their friendship meant, _he_ mattered to _her_ , and she stood by him, no questions asked. In that moment, no matter what anyone else thought, he was _good enough._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A short time later, Riley arrived with Bertrand and Maxwell at the marina where grandiose, colorful boats could be seen sailing through the water in celebration of the Regatta.

Maxwell ran down the dock, breathing in the scent of the salty ocean air. “This is great! The weather’s perfect!”

“Yeah… sun’s out, fun’s out!” Riley threw her arms up, basking in the warmth of the sun.

“All right, that’s enough of that, you two. Keep your wits about you.” Bertrand gave them a stern look. “Lady Riley, you must always remember that in a crowded venue like this, a photo can be taken at any time… Refrain from silliness. And a word of advice… If the press corners you, be sure to hint that the Prince likes you, but you don’t want to be too obvious about it.”

“Got it. We’re close, but not _too_ close.”

Through the throngs of attendees, she spotted Prince Aidan. He smiled as his eyes met hers in the crowd and began making his way over. Bertrand noticed him approaching and nodded in his direction. “Ah, the Prince. Maxwell and I will get the paperwork squared away. You go mingle. Our yacht will be docked at Gate B.” As they walked off, Aidan ran up to her.

“Riley…” He smiled cheerfully. “Fancy seeing you here. It must be a strange coincidence we keep showing up at the same events…”

She winked, nudging his arm lightly. “Fate must be on our side.”

His eyes took in her simple navy blue and white outfit, and he leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. “You look beautiful today, by the way. I like the rope belt…” He tugged on it playfully.

“Heh, hopefully I won’t have to use it… But I _do_ have a race to win today…”

“Ah yes, the ceremonial race. You know, it’s an honor to be part of the Regatta tradition.”

“The tradition of rich people having private boats?”

“The Regatta’s more symbolic than that. Since Cordonia isn’t very big, we don’t have many glorious battles as part of our identity… or at least, we haven’t for several hundred years. But we do have a defining moment. When a storm ravaged our neighbors across the sea, Cordonians responded by manning every available boat to bring humanitarian supplies to the devastated area. It was one of our finest hours. So, this Regatta symbolizes the generosity of the Cordonians and the strong bonds we’ve forged with our neighbors.”

“That’s very noble. I’m honored to participate.” Her expression grew more thoughtful. “Now, tell me the truth… are you enjoying yourself?”

Aidan’s expression didn’t waiver from prince mode. “It’s a beautiful day, the staff has been well-prepared, and we’re ready to celebrate our fine seafaring tradition. My father in particular seems in high spirits. But he always loves this event.”

She stepped closer to him. “That’s all good… but you didn’t answer my question, and you’re not even smiling! What’s wrong?”

“Well…” He shifted around uneasily. “My father loves the Regatta so much, I’ve never had the heart to tell him that I hate sailing.”

“Really!” She winked as she patted one of his muscular arms. “I thought you were descended from Poseidon!”

He chuckled. “I think I’d enjoy boats more if that were the case.”

She smiled at him affectionately. “Aidan, you should really tell your father. Don’t you think he should know?”

A half-hearted smile appeared on his face, with a touch of fondness in his eyes. “You don’t know my father the way I do. It would devastate him. And besides, pretending to enjoy it for a few hours is the least I can do for the old man. I actually used to enjoy sailing, but one experience soured me on it.”

“What’s the story there?”

“Let’s say I once felt the call of freedom on the sea. When Drake and I were young boys, we snuck out with one of the royal sloops. The weather had been sunny but turned gray and windy when we reached a few kilometers out. We probably could’ve managed if we’d been more experienced, but the choppy waters capsized our boat. We had to swim back. I’m not sure which was worse, the cold or the taste of saltwater. Even worse, we had to push the boat all the way back to shore so we wouldn’t get in trouble!”

“Wow… that must have been awful. Good thing Drake was there to help!”

“Actually, Drake saved my life. Moments before the boat capsized, the boom swung across the deck and knocked me overboard. I’ll never forget that without even a second of hesitation, Drake jumped right in after me.”

“Drake really stepped up, didn’t he?”

“Like I said, I trust him with my life. It was a pretty miserable experience, though I can laugh about it now! We were cold, wet, and exhausted… but we survived. Anyway, I’ve never told anyone that story. No one ever found out what we did… although my interest in sailing did drop quite a bit after that.” The sound of a herald trumpeting broke through their conversation. “Oh, it’s time for my father’s opening remarks.”

Riley followed his gaze to see King Constantine on an elevated platform, a growing crowd forming around him. “Ladies and gentlemen of Cordonia… I welcome you all!” The crowd around Riley and Aidan began to bustle as reporters commenced with broadcasting the main event. “Today is a momentous day. As you know, I have a soft spot for the Royal Regatta, and it remains one of my favorite events of the social season. Because this event has always held historical significance and personal importance, I have chosen today to make my announcement… That as of the end of this social season, I’ll be stepping down as your reigning monarch, and in a few weeks’ time, Prince Aidan will be your new king.”

Riley stole a glance at Aidan. He stood there with his jaw dropped slightly, unable to hide the shock in his eyes. Several reporters lobbed questions at the King, but he silenced them by raising his hand. “I expect you all have questions. I promise you in due time that I’ll release an official statement. For today, allow an old man to enjoy the festivities. Let the Regatta begin!”

As he stepped down, Aidan led her away from the crowd, toward the docks. He was walking so quickly she almost had to jog to keep up with him. “Aidan…” She met his stride and walked by his side. “Aidan… I’m not sure I understand what’s going on.”

Aidan looked behind them to make sure they had enough privacy, then turned back to her. “My father is stepping down as king. Which will make me the new king in a few weeks.”

“Whoa.”

He shook his head, staring down at the water off the dock. “Yes, exactly. I mean, I knew I’d be king one day… just not so quickly.”

“Aidan… are you okay?” She tilted her head, meeting his eyes.

He tried to smile for her, but it was not reaching his eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine. But it’s… a shock, let’s say. I always knew my father would retire… just not so soon. To realize that I’m going to become King in a matter of weeks… Well. That’s a lot.”

“Not many guys have to ascend to the throne _and_ choose a wife all at once…”

“It means that my future bride will be thrown directly into the role of queen.”

“It seems like this really caught you off-guard.”

He sighed, looking back toward the platform where King Constantine previously stood. “My father usually keeps my counsel on all matters. I wonder why he didn’t discuss this with me…” He turned back to her. “But I’ll talk to him later. For now, he’s right. We should just try to enjoy today.”

“Aidan…” She reached out to touch him, but then noticed some members of the press had noticed their location and were eagerly heading down the docks to catch up with them.

Aidan noticed them as well and drew in his breath, schooling his expression into his princely smile. “We should answer a couple questions to satisfy them. Time to put our best smiles on…”

“No can do.” When he looked down at her curiously, she smiled at him. “I only reserve my best smiles for you…”

He laughed softly. “At least give them half your best.” The two of them stopped walking, allowing the press to catch up with them.

Donnie Brine was the first to reach out. “Your Highness… a few questions, please?”

Aidan nodded politely. “Of course…”

“The King’s announcement was quite a surprise! What do you think about it? When did you find out?”

“As much as I’d love to answer, my father has made it clear he’ll issue a statement later. For now, I can’t comment.”

“If you can’t talk about the announcement, then we’ll have to talk about something else…” He nodded his head toward Riley at Aidan’s side. “…you’re looking _awfully_ friendly with the mystery woman…”

Aidan looked down at her, then back at Donnie. “Is that what they’re calling Lady Riley?”

“The public _does_ find her an enigma. But let’s cut to the heart of the real mystery… what’s the connection between you two? After all, the social season’s more than half over. And with the King’s announcement, you’re basically choosing the future queen in a matter of weeks…”

“I was aware my future bride would be queen. The immediacy of my becoming king doesn’t change much at this time.”

Several flashes from the various camera crews went off. Riley stepped up closer next to Aidan. “You want to know what’s going on between the Prince and me?” Donnie’s microphone immediately directed toward her. “Well, I care for him, but we’re still getting to know one another.”

Aidan smiled at her. “I couldn’t have put it better myself.”

Donnie looked back at him. “Do you feel the same way about Lady Riley, Your Highness?”

“Yes, I care for her. But as she said, we’re still learning about one another.”

“Now _that’s_ something that the people will love to know.” He hurriedly jotted down a bunch of notes on his notepad.

Ana de Luca stepped forward. “Lady Riley, surely you’re aware of the historical significance of the Royal Regatta… do you have anything to say on this momentous day about it?”

“Of course, the Regatta is symbolic of Cordonia’s generous spirit. The people’s effort to give humanitarian aid and relief is truly inspiring, and I believe it represents Cordonia’s interconnectedness with its neighbors.”

“Well-put.” Aidan smiled in approval.

“I agree.” Ana nodded.

Before they could ask further questions, Aidan stepped in between Riley and the press. “As wonderful as it has been to connect with you all, the races are about to start, and Lady Riley’s due at the starting line…”

Donnie raised his hand in question. “One last thing! Can we get a photo of the two of you together?”

“Of course.”

Donnie raised his camera as Riley rose on her tiptoes and kissed Aidan on the cheek. Aidan smiled joyfully as the camera went off. “ _Perfect._ ” Donnie gave them a thumbs up. “Thank you, Your Highness, Lady Riley… It’s been an absolute pleasure.”

Aidan nodded. “You’re welcome.” The reporters walked off, and he headed down the docks with her. “I think that went well…”

“Oh?”

“I can tell by now when they like someone. I’m glad… The people take their cues from the press. Come on, the race is going to start soon! We should get you to your boat.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Seriously, Drake, I can’t thank you enough. Like, thank you times a million.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it already, Maxwell,” Drake jumped onto the yacht deck, looking around. “Not that I’m complaining, but where the hell is Bertrand? Shouldn’t he be helping too?”

“Well, technically, but… he’s pretty angry with me, so he took off.”

“Sounds more like he just found an excuse not to do the work and left it up to you again.” Drake grabbed onto a length of rope and began tying down the boat. He looked over at Maxwell. “So, what did you do to piss him off now?”

“What _don’t_ I do?”

“Heh. True.” He paused to look out at the ocean, then looked back at him. “But what was it _this_ time?”

“Courtly gossip about me and Riley got to him, and he freaked out about it.” Maxwell shrugged. “I told him it was nothing, and it just wasn’t enough for him. He had to go on about how I embarrassed the house and someone like me would never be good enough for someone like her. I pretty much told him to piss off.”

“Bertrand’s an ass. I don’t blame you.” He continued his work, then paused again. “Out of curiosity, why _do_ you spend so much time together? Can’t blame the court for talking about it if you give them something to talk about.”

“Yeah? And Penelope’s practically all over me these days, but you don’t hear anyone talking about _that_ , do you?”

“Yeah. Not interesting.” He held out one hand. “Poodlelope and Maxwell.” He held out the other hand. “Mason and Maxwell.” He moved both hands up and down. “Hmm, which one is the more interesting gossip choice?”

“Point taken.”

“So, you never answered my question. Why _do_ you spend so much time with her? I know it can’t be all professional.”

Maxwell opened his mouth to respond.

“And before you try to make something up, don’t forget that I wander the halls late at night out of boredom. I can hear you two laughing in your bedrooms in the late hours. Something tells me that it’s not part of courtly protocol lessons.” Drake smirked.

“Okay fine, we’re close, but not in the way everyone thinks. Usually it’s just us unwinding and talking about the day. And you know how much I can talk someone’s ear off… well, she can talk just as much.”

A serious look passed through Drake’s eyes. “So, if I were to ask if Aidan has anything to worry about, you’d say…?”

“Not a thing.”

He nodded. “Good.”

Maxwell looked down as his phone buzzed, and his eyes slightly widened. He walked away quickly to answer the call, as Drake leaned forward, straining to listen. “Hey. Not a good time… Yeah… Yeah, I can text you or something at the picnic later. Maybe call after that when I am able to get away… Okay. Talk later. Bye.”

As Maxwell returned, Drake folded his arms. “Grace again, right? Level with me already. Are you and her… you know…”

“No, she’s just a friend, Drake.”

“…With benefits?”

“What? No!”

“Just saying… for someone who’s just a friend, you sure are secretive about…”

“Hey, there’s Riley!” Maxwell began waving at two approaching figures on the docks.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley and Aidan headed toward Gate B where she could see Maxwell waving with both arms from an impressive-looking yacht. “Riley, over here!”

Aidan waved an arm toward the boat, smiling. “Your ride awaits…”

“You’re not coming with me? You can witness my triumph first-hand…”

“I wish I could, but my place is with the King right now. I’ll witness your victory from there. Good luck!” He leaned over to kiss her cheek and touched her shoulder tenderly before walking away.

As he walked away, she hopped onto the boat and found both Drake and Maxwell preparing it to sail. “Drake? What are you doing here? Maxwell, didn’t you leave with Bertrand? And shouldn’t there be other people?” She looked around the near-deserted yacht. “Like… an actual crew?”

Drake cast a derisive look toward him. “Yeah, _Maxwell_. What happened?”

Maxwell smiled sheepishly. “Well… I have good news and bad news.”

“I know it’s usually a good idea to say bad news first, but I’m going to go with telling me the good news first.”

“The good news is that you _have_ a crew to man the boat for the race…”

“Uh-huh…” She folded her arms.

“But the bad news is that _we’re_ the crew.”

“What happened to the people Bertrand hired?”

“Yes, well, our funds being what they were… They dropped out. But not worry!” He pointed with his arm toward Drake. “Drake volunteered to help!”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “He _volunteered_?”

“Maxwell begged me.”

“I thought I was rather dignified.”

“Practically in tears, actually.” He shook his head as he continued to tie the ropes down on the boat.

Maxwell glanced his way and then leaned over to whisper to Riley. “Court’s been speculating that we’re closer than we are… and Drake’s apparently heard us laughing in our rooms at night.”

Riley got a mischievous look in her eye and whispered back. “Oh _please_ let me screw with him!”

“I’m… suddenly afraid of you right now.” A smile played at the corners of his mouth.

“Just play along.” She pushed him away with a wicked grin on her face. Then she sat, waiting until she could see Drake was fully immersed in his work before she sauntered up to Maxwell with a coy smile. “So Maxwell…” She placed a palm against his chest, keeping her voice quiet, but just loud enough for Drake to hear. “I hear the court knows about _us_ now.” Drake didn’t turn around, but his hands started to pause in their work.

He grabbed her hand and held it against him, staring into her eyes. He hoped to high heaven that she did not feel how fast his heart was pounding with her hand laying against his chest. _Acting_ the part was not going to be hard at all. “Riley… they’re only _rumors_ right now. And you’re still part of the competition.”

She threw an arm around his neck dramatically. “Forget the competition, Maxwell. I’ll remove myself from it immediately. I can’t help how I feel about you!” She drew her other arm around him.

“Riley, I can’t let you do that for me.” He started to pull her arms off of him.

“But I want to!” She pulled him close again, then lifted her leg and practically wrapped it around his waist. “I want _you_ , Maxwell Beaumont!”

Their heat was intense. As she stared into his eyes, it was hard to tell if they were really acting or not. In this moment, he was fighting everything he had in him not to grab her face and kiss her right there.

His focus was relieved the moment she grabbed him and pulled him down, out of sight from Drake. “Now don’t freak out,” she whispered. She leaned against him and planted a kiss on his cheek, loud enough for Drake to hear. She put her hands to her mouth, moaning out, “Mmmm… Maxwell…”

A loud thud was heard, which they could only imagine was Drake falling over from straining to hear. They both leaned against each other, weakened as their bodies shook with silent laughter.

As soon as she caught her breath, Riley was the first one to pop back up into view, pointing an accusing finger at Drake. “Serves you right for paying attention to courtly gossip! Thought you knew better than that, Drake.” She smirked, putting her hands on her hips.

“You win, Mason.” He shook his head, a small smile on his face.

Riley held a hand out for Maxwell, helping him up. “So you both… know about sailing?”

Maxwell nodded eagerly. “I used to _own_ several boats, and Drake is an excellent boatman!”

“Is that so?” She smiled amusingly at him. “Drake, from what I hear, you’re terrible with boats! I just heard a story about a certain capsized boat from Aidan…”

Drake’s jaw dropped. “He told you about that? Okay, that was bad, but after that whole mess, I decided I’d spend a summer learning how to sail properly… Trust me, you’re in good hands. At least mine. Can’t speak for Maxwell.”

“Hey!”

“Well… thank you for doing this.”

“Aw, shucks, Mason. I couldn’t leave you…” A mocking glint appeared in his eyes. “…up the creek without a paddle.”

“Ha… ha.” She made a face at him. “Wait, what about Bertrand? Why isn’t he here?”

_Probably still pissed off and not wanting to be anywhere near me…_ “His words were, and I quote, ‘ _Have we fallen so far? Is this what becomes of House Ramsford?’_ And then he muttered something about ruin and reducing our name to rubble and then I _hope_ he went to get a drink or something after that.” Maxwell shrugged his shoulders as he moved to assist Drake.

“Sounds about right. What about Tariq? He looks like a guy who could sail a boat.” She watched as Drake nearly dropped what he was doing _again_ as he doubled over in laughter. “Okay, so it was only a thought.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Drake took a moment to catch his breath. “I’m sorry to say, Mason, you’re not going to be cruising around like the other ladies. You’re going to have to do some work to help us win. I hope you’re up for the job.”

“Trust me, I’m up to it.”

“Well we’re about to find out.”

“Let’s just see if _you_ can keep up.”

“You’re on, Mason.” Drake tied the last rope inside the boat. “Casting off!” He unfurled the sails and steered the boat to the starting line. To their left was Olivia’s boat and at their right was Hana’s.

“Good luck to you both!” Hana waved, smiling.

Olivia wore an arrogant smile. “I don’t need luck. I know I’m going to win! I hope you both like _losing_!”

Riley rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the guys. “Maxwell, how do we win this thing?”

“Riley, you’ll be watching the wind indicator for us. Whenever it shifts, tell us, so we can adjust the sails.”

“We’ll tell you what else needs to be done as it comes,” Drake added.

“Sounds doable.”

“Looks like the race is about to start!” Maxwell nodded in the King’s direction.

King Constantine stood on an elevated platform by the starting line with Prince Aidan and Queen Regina. He held the starting pistol above his head. “Racers, ready!”

“Here we go…” she heard Drake say behind her.

The King pulled the trigger. “And go!”

The sails on all the boats unfurled, catching the wind. Riley noticed Olivia’s smug smile as her boat took an early lead. “I’ll be waiting at the finish line!”

The wind picked up, propelling their boat forward. “Hold it steady!” Drake shouted.

The wind indicator suddenly shifted. “The wind changed!” Riley called out.

“Adjusting sails!” Maxwell yelled.

Drake and Maxwell bustled around the boat, fixing the angle of the sails. Maxwell handed her a rope. “Hey, Riley, tie this down for us! We need to hold the sail in place!” She took the line and wrapped it around the notch on the deck. She secured the line with a strong and sturdy sailor’s knot. Looking back, she saw him smile and give her a thumbs up. “That’s perfect!” Up ahead, a buoy was visible floating not far in the distance. “That’s the halfway point! We just have to turn around the buoy and head back to the finish line!”

“We’re coming in too fast! Brace yourself!” Drake hollered out.

The boat made a hard turn to the right, the edge of the deck skimming along the water’s surface. Riley held onto some rigging as water sprayed on the boat. _Piece of cake!_

Drake continued to adjust the sails. “Let’s keep going. We’re almost there.”

Maxwell looked up. “Wind’s picking up in our favor!”

“Back to stations! Mason, secure the jib.”

“And that means to…?”

“Catch the wind coming behind us!”

She hurried to the front of the boat to redirect the front sail into the wind. The sail stretched as it caught the wind. The boat raced forward, and with the wind in its sails, the boat overtook Olivia’s. _Yes!_

Olivia looked on in shock. “ _What?!_ ” She whirled on her crew, huffing angrily. “Make the boat go faster!”

Leaving Olivia in their wake, Riley’s crew sailed over the finish line first. “We did it!” Riley cheered, jumping up and down.

Maxwell ran over to her, lifting her up in the air and whirling her around. “Wooohooo!!!”

After he’d set her down, Drake walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “You really pulled through for us, Mason.”

From the shore, King Constantine and Prince Aidan applauded their victory. Returning to the harbor, Riley and the other ladies disembarked from their boats where Prince Aidan and King Constantine waited to greet her. Aidan and his father walked up to her. “Congratulations, Lady Riley…” King Constantine said, smiling appreciatively. “That was some impressive sailing out there.”

Riley returned his smile. “I can’t take all the credit, sir… just most of it.”

King Constantine laughed and looked to his son. “This girl has a sense of humor, Aidan.”

Aidan smiled. “I know, Father.”

“Lady Riley, I commend you and your crew. Please enjoy the rest of the festivities…” The King took his leave.

“I wish we would stay and chat more, but the official races are about to begin, and we need to head to our places.”

“Aidan… where do we go?”

“I’ll be with the rest of the royal family. You will likely be with the other suitors on the Nevrakis yacht.”

“You mean _Olivia’s_ yacht?” She couldn’t help grimacing at the thought.

Aidan nodded sympathetically. “I know you two don’t get along… but the party she hosts should be fun. Perhaps you and Hana can keep each other company.”

A fanfare of trumpets erupted, and the two of them looked up. “You should go,” Riley said, placing a hand on his arm. “I think that’s your cue. I’ll be fine, wherever I end up.”

Aidan quickly bowed to her before racing toward the royal booth.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Light, classical music played amongst the chatter of all attending as Riley climbed up the stairs of an imposing-looking yacht. She looked around for Hana in the crowd. The deck of Olivia’s yacht bustled with suitors and dignitaries alike, but she was nowhere to be found at that moment.

“…And so my silk bathrobe came back with a loose thread! Can you believe it?” Tariq’s voice floated over to her, and she turned to find him trying to talk with a very uninterested Madeleine. “Fabric softer than an angel’s cloud. Ruined! I fired the dry cleaner on the spot.”

Madeleine glared at him. “Stop talking to me.”

Olivia located her through the crowd and walked up to her, wearing an exaggerated grin on her face. “Riley, I’m _so_ glad you could make it.”

Riley stared at her suspiciously. “Uhh… thank you?”

“You’re absolutely welcome. Now, I know these mingling events may not exactly be your cup of tea, and I want you to feel comfortable. So I’ve decided to help you out.”

A servant walked up and handed her a life jacket. She took it gingerly, staring at it for a moment before looking back up at Olivia. “I don’t really have to wear this, do I?”

Olivia’s inflated smile couldn’t get any bigger. “I don’t want you to drown in your own fear…”

A smile crossed Riley’s face as she set the life jacket down and faced her. “Why, Olivia… _thank you_ for looking out for me. That’s so _kind_ of you!”

Olivia’s face went from smug to surprised. “That’s not what—”

“It’s so nice to have a friend like you watching out for me!” Riley quickly pulled Olivia into a giant hug and whispered into her ear. “You’re going to have to try _a lot_ harder than this…”

“A good host opens with an appetizer,” Olivia retorted.

Riley smirked. “I hope you don’t continue to disappoint.”

Olivia’s mouth dropped for a moment, and then she glared angrily. “You—”

“Toodles!” She walked away, leaving Olivia to fume alone, and continued her search around the yacht for Hana. Finally, unable to locate her, she pulled out her phone to text her.

**Riley:** Hey. I’m here at the yacht party.

**Riley:** Where are you?

**Hana:** Meet me down at the docks. I’ll come find you.

**Riley:** On my way.

She was only too grateful to leave Olivia’s boring party for a while and return to the docks. Hana tapped her on the shoulder moments after she got there. “Hana, thank goodness!” She hugged her. “You’re going to Olivia’s boat, aren’t you?”

Hana shook her head. “I won’t be there, sadly… My parents wanted me to host my own viewing party… But unfortunately, I’m not as popular as they expected. Olivia’s really got her hooks in the ladies here. My parents invited dozens of nobles, but no one accepted. But it would be the ultimate embarrassment to not even go to my own party!”

“Aw… sorry, Hana.”

“It’s not so bad. There’s going to be lots of appetizers and champagne and a lovely viewing deck… all just for me, I suppose.”

“I’ll come to your party!”

Hana looked at her in surprise. “Are you sure you want to hang out on my family’s boat?”

“Of course! And if you even spent a moment on Olivia’s yacht, you’d want to hang out on your family’s boat too. I was so bored!”

She laughed. “Then I’m glad to come to your rescue. Please, follow me.” Riley walked onto Hana’s yacht. Decadent chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne flutes were set out next to cushioned seats and silken pillows. “Welcome to my humble yacht…”

“Wow… everything here is so nice.”

Hana lifted her shoulders up slightly. “It’s a public appearance, and my family wants to look good in front of the royal family. They think it’s of the utmost importance that I impress everyone here, no matter how extravagant the display.”

“You can consider _me_ impressed.” Riley picked up one of the bottles of champagne. “Seriously, just one bottle of this champagne is probably worth more than what I made in a whole week waiting tables in New York.”

“Well, what’s mine is yours. Please, enjoy whatever you want.” A waiter approached with a tray of chilled champagne flutes and mint water. “Well, Riley, what’ll you have?” Riley selected a flute of champagne, and she took the same, lifting her glass to her. “Cheers!”

Looking around, Riley could see at least a dozen waiters at the ready. Countless bottles of champagne rested in chilled buckets. “That is actually _a lot_ of champagne, even for a party.”

“Well, the ship is new and hasn’t been named yet. Naming it would’ve been cause for celebration. But since you’re here, I’m hoping you’ll help me christen it.”

“You want _my_ help?”

“Yeah! It’ll be fun!”

“What do you even name a ship? The Flying Cordonian? Heart of Gold?”

“Aphrodite?”

Riley thought for a moment. “How about the Fantasea?”

Hana smiled slowly, the name easily rolling off the tip of her tongue. “Fantasea… I like it.”

Riley lifted her glass. “All aboard the Fantasea!”

“Not so fast. We need to officially christen her first!” Hana offered her a full bottle of champagne.

Riley shook her head. “Hana… we should do it together.”

She nodded in agreement. “All right. We both named it, after all.”

Holding the bottle together, she and Hana smashed it on the railing. The foamy beverage ran down the side of the boat. “Woooo! The Fantasea is officially in business,” Riley shouted.

“Just in time for the race too. The boats are taking their positions.” Hana looked off in the distance as the boats gathered at the starting line, their colored sails dotting the horizon. “Which boat do you think is going to win?”

“The boat with the… pirate flag.” She glanced over to see Hana looking at her curiously. “What? I think pirates are cool.”

Hana giggled. “Remind me to schedule a pirate-themed party next time.” The starting pistol fired, and the sails inflated as they caught the wind. “There they go.”

They watched as the boats sailed off into the horizon. “How far out do they go?” Riley asked.

“Quite a ways. We won’t see them again for another couple hours. It’s a long race. In the meantime, want to take the boat out for a ride?”

“Absolutely!” She waited as Hana sent word down to the crew, and before she knew it, they were cruising along the crystal-clear water. “The view up here is amazing.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” She watched the view for a moment before looking back at her. “Riley… thank you for coming to my party.”

“Don’t mention it. I’d do anything for you. That’s what friends are for.”

Hana smiled. “You’re too good to me, Riley.”

“Nonsense. You deserve all the goodness in the world. Honestly… I should be thanking _you_ for this party.”

“Oh, please. You’re the one that’s made it a party. Otherwise, it would’ve just been an afternoon of me crying into my champagne.”

“What a terrible thought.” On the horizon, the first of the returning sailboats appeared. “The boats are back.”

“Let’s head back to see the winner.” They returned to the line of spectating boats in time to see the winner cross the finish line. “Pirate sails won.”

“Called it.” Riley watched the royal family greet the winners and present each one with a medal and a wreath. “Look at those smiles.”

“Yeah…” Hana sighed glumly.

Riley turned to her. “What’s wrong?”

Hana shook her head slowly, watching the smiling faces of the boat winners as they took pictures next to the royal family for the press. “They look so happy. It’s just… My whole life, I’ve done nothing but lose.”

“But you’re amazing at _everything_.”

She lowered her head. “Nothing that really counts. I lost my fiancé. I lost my family’s respect. They think I’m a complete failure.”

Riley tilted her head so she could be in Hana’s view. “Hana… you don’t _need_ praise from your parents. Once you realize that other people’s approval doesn’t matter, then it’s easy to see that the only person you need to please is yourself.”

She nodded slowly. “There _is_ wisdom in that…” A smile slowly appeared. “But I wouldn’t mind some praise from those close to me… like you, Riley.”

“I have no problem praising you, Hana. I just need you to _believe_ it.” She winked and pulled her into a brief one-armed hug. “I _know_ you’ll feel like a winner one day. Look how talented you are!” She then walked over to the tub of champagne and grabbed a bottle. “You know… we could have our own victory celebration right now.”

“For what?”

“We’re going to celebrate two important things. Number one: _You_. We’re going to celebrate what a kind, talented, and beautiful person you are! And number two: our friendship. I left New York not really knowing what would be on the other side when I landed… I’m glad I have a friend like you.” She steadily poured the champagne into the glasses and offered one to Hana. “Cheers.”

Hana smiled, blushing lightly. “Cheers.”

They clinked their glasses and drank. Once they were done, Riley grabbed another bottle nearby. She shook up the bottle, then popped the top. Foaming champagne sprayed out, getting both of them.

“AHHHH!” Hana screamed loudly, jumping away from the spray and laughing. “That was a sneaky attack!”

Riley grinned, laughing. “Your point?” Hana grabbed another bottle, shook it, and returned fire. “Ahhh!”

“Gotcha!” The two of them ran around the deck until the last of the bottles ran dry and their clothes and hair were dripping wet with bubbling champagne.

“Well, _this_ is certainly a sight,” Riley laughed, as she pulled out her phone, carefully wiping a few drops off of it. “We must capture this moment! Bathing in champagne at the Royal Regatta!”

Hana raised her arms up in the air as she and Riley posed together for a selfie. “Beautiful.”

Riley smiled at the photo, then turned to her. “Hmm… would you mind being my accomplice in a bit of revenge against my brother?”

“What did he do?” Hana laughed.

“I asked him and Daniel for advice back in Lythikos, and while he _did_ have some good things to share, he also made it a point to make jokes wherever he could and embarrass the hell out of me.” She grinned. “But then he messed up the moment you stepped into the room, if you catch my drift.”

“Oh… _oh_!” Hana smiled impishly. “Then I’m happy to help.” She leaned against the railing. “Luckily, I know a little bit about modeling.”

“More courtly lessons your parents made you take?” Riley laughed as she aimed the camera. Hana’s wet hair cascaded down one side of her head, and her thin dress was dripping wet, outlining the lines of her bikini underneath. For bigger effect, she had decided to move one of her sleeves off her shoulder as she gave a smoldering look from the railing. “ _Damn_ , Hana! Even _I_ think that’s hot!” She took a few pictures.

Hana beamed as she stepped away. “It’s all in the _look_.” She watched as Riley swiped through the photos. “Ohhh, wait! We should get one of you too! You would look amazing against this railing too.”

“Yeah, but… I’m not sending _that_ one to my brother…”

“Of course not. But a glamour shot of yourself never hurt. Stand here.” Hana took Riley’s hands and positioned her against the railing, then stood back, pulling out her own phone. “Now give me your best look!” As Riley posed with her own sultry smile, Hana’s camera flashed. “These are great. Come see!”

Riley walked over to her phone to look. “Not too bad.”

“Sending you a copy!” When Riley walked over to grab her own phone, Hana smiled as she opened up a new message to send with the picture attachment… to Maxwell.

**Hana:** You’re welcome.  
 **Maxwell:** 😮

Grinning, Hana then sent Riley her copies and put her phone away, heading over to Riley’s side as she was composing her message to Carl.

**Riley:** That’s the work of about 25 bottles of champagne!  
 **Carl:** …  
 **Carl:** That is just cruel.  
 **Riley:** Sweet dreams, big brother. 😙  
 **Carl:** Bite me. 🖕  
 **Riley:** 😇

“Oh!” Hana put a hand to her mouth. “I didn’t mean to make him angry.”

Riley laughed. “You didn’t. Trust me. I know it looks odd, but this is just one example of how he and I talk to each other. And it’s perfectly normal conversation.”

She giggled. “Very odd. Is this more American culture I don’t understand?”

“You could say that…”

“We’re nearly back to the shore… I can’t believe the Regatta is already over!” Hana looked back at Riley gratefully. “I was dreading today… but thanks to you, it was more fun than I ever expected!”

“Hana, I had fun too.”

“Good.” She smiled at her as the Fantasea reached the dock. After the races, she, Riley and the other suitors gathered together. “Now the _real_ party begins!”

“Maxwell already told me how excited he is for the beach party…”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “It’s not just a party. It’s an _extravaganza_!”

Kiara smoothed her hair out, looking in a small mirror. “The press will certainly be in attendance…”

“And it means more time with the Prince too!” Penelope was busy pressing the wrinkles from her dress, and then all of a sudden started fixing her hair as she looked off in the distance.

Riley followed the direction of her gaze. Maxwell was heading toward their group.


	10. Battle of the Heart

** Chapter 10: Battle of the Heart **

Once all the suitors had taken their leave, Maxwell joined Hana and Riley as they walked along the docks. “Ready for the beach extravaganza?”

A hint of worry crossed Riley’s eyes. “I… think so? Why? Is there something I should have prepped? Will the press be there?”

“Nope! It’s just a fun party on one of the most gorgeous private beaches in the area!”

“That sounds amazing, and the water’s so unbelievably beautiful…” Hana squeezed some excess champagne from her dress. “I can’t wait to get out of this dress and into my bikini!”

“I knew I was forgetting something. Riley, you didn’t happen to bring a swimsuit, did you?” The confused look on her face was all the answer he needed. “Never mind, we can buy one on the way…”

“Okay! Hana, why don’t you go on ahead? We’ll see you at the beach!”

“Sure.” Hana turned and discreetly winked to Maxwell, who quickly looked away. “See you!”

He looked at Riley as they took a slight detour down the docks, giving her an amused smile. “Did you fall off the boat?”

“We were actually besieged by a band of dolphin pirates.”

“…Aren’t dolphins supposed to be friendly?”

“Well yeah… that’s why these ones were dolphin _pirates_. They were up to no good.” Her eyes sparkled with humor. “They caught us by surprise and tried to drown us in sea water. We had no way out!”

“No!” He chuckled. “How did you get away?”

“I’m surprised you have to ask!” she said, feigning shock. “Obviously, we warded them off with our magical champagne bombs! Unfortunately, it got everywhere, as you could see.” She shook her head, a few sprinkles of champagne flying from her hair toward him.

“Hey!” He laughed, dodging the drops.

“Hang on… this stuff is really starting to stick.” She ducked into a nearby beach shower to spray off all the champagne from her, walking out a few moments later. She grinned as she jumped at him without warning, wrapping him in a soaking wet hug.

“Ahhhh! Riley!” He tried to push her off right away, but she held tightly, laughing at him. “You are not right!”

She giggled as she let go of him. “Admit it. You’re just jealous you didn’t think of it first.”

“Possibly…” He smiled. “Although your clothes were already wet to begin with so that maaaayyyy have defeated the purpose for me.”

They arrived at the outdoor beach boutique and took a look around. Surprisingly, there were more tank tops and shorts than there were actual swimsuits. “Hey, I found one,” Maxwell said, pulling something off the rack. “Actually…” He looked through the other racks. “Looks like they only have _just_ this one…”

Riley reached for it. “All right, let’s see it…” She took the outfit from him and disappeared into a makeshift changing room, emerging moments later with her body fitted in a simple white bikini with a short translucent sea green cover up.

Maxwell’s eyes swept over her as she admired herself in the mirror. “That…” … _is so hot…_ “…looks good on you.”

She turned and smiled. “Thanks.” She glanced at herself again in the mirror. “You think Aidan will like it?”

Annnnd just like that, he was shoved back down to reality. “I’m sure he will.” He looked away, focusing on the path ahead of them. “Now, we better get you to this fancy beach party before we miss all the fun!”

She grabbed his arm, pulling him along. “Let’s go!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A little while later, the two of them arrived at the beach. Maxwell watched as Riley’s eyes scanned the area in search of Aidan. “Looks like he’s tied up with the Queen and Madeleine right now.” He nodded in their direction.

She looked back at him. “Should I try to make a move?”

“Better bide your time. You’ll likely get only one shot at spending time with him today. Better to do it when Queen Regina’s not around.” He nudged her toward the beach buffet tables. “In the meantime, we might as well eat!”

The two of them were lingering by the table when Hana approached, selecting one of the more exotic-looking ones. “Have you tried these appetizers?”

Maxwell eyed them warily. “What _are_ they?”

Hana examined the one she picked up. “Some kind of… avant-garde, gourmet seafood thing…”

“They seem a little… fishy.” Riley stared down at them. “Literally.”

Hana lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “It’s a bit high-end, but we should give it a try.”

“Pretty sure it’s still moving…” Riley picked one up and eyed it suspiciously. “I think it just wriggled.”

“That means it’s fresh?” Hana grinned.

“Oh hell, why not? I’m a fan of adventurous tastes.”

“Let’s try some!”

The three of them all took one of the appetizers and tried a bite.

“Mmm, squishy!”

“Well, it _tastes_ like caviar… and very expensive caviar, at that!”

“Kind of like a fresh, salty sea jell-O…”

Over by the picnic area, Riley spotted Drake standing by a table loaded with food. His eyes met hers, and he waved her over. “I hope you all came hungry because the _real_ food has arrived.”

Maxwell eyed the pile of food with wide eyes. “There’s so much of it.”

“Is this… _barbeque_?” Hana looked intrigued.

Drake waved his hand across the spread. “Oh, yes. Classic Americana. You’ve got your pulled pork, chicken kebabs, brisket, ribs, vegetables, and sauces unique to regions around the world. And you can’t forget the classic sloppy joe.”

Hana looked at him questioningly. “A… what?”

“Seasoned ground beef with onions, tomato sauce, and whatever else you feel like throwing in there.”

Maxwell was already grabbing a plate from the stack of paper plates and utensils. “You had me at ‘not fish!’”

“It looks messy…” Hana scrutinized the food smothered in an abundant amount of barbeque sauce. “…but intriguing.”

Riley smiled, grabbing a plate along with Maxwell. “I _love_ sloppy joes! They were basically all I ate through middle school.”

“Thank you, Mason. Somebody else around here can appreciate a simple dish.”

“It _does_ seem a little strange to have such casual food here.” Hana grabbed a plate of her own.

“Aidan thought Mason would appreciate it. A little taste of home.”

Riley turned to him, surprised. “This was _his_ idea?”

“Mostly.” Drake offered her a smile. “From a purely selfish angle, I’m not exactly a caviar and oysters kind of guy, so…”

“Got it.”

“Anyway, let’s dig in. I _love_ a good barbeque. Reminds me of cookouts on the lawn or summers with family…”

“Aww, Drake, that’s actually kind of sweet…”

He rolled his eyes. “It is not. Now, would you rather talk or would you rather eat?”

“Let’s talk about what happened to the _real_ Drake.” She smirked. “You’re being awfully nice. Sharing food with us… talking about family cookouts… You need to frown or something. This isn’t right.”

Drake scowled in her direction. “…Happy?”

“Mildly…” She jokingly pointed a plastic fork in his direction. “I’m keeping my eye on you.”

“Don’t strain yourself.”

“Now let’s eat! I’m starving!”

“Sweet relief.” Maxwell stuffed a giant mouthful of shredded pork in his mouth, immediately smearing his face with barbeque sauce.

“So…” Hana looked down at her plate. “…how does one eat a ‘sloppy joe’? Utensils or hands?”

Drake looked up from the sandwich he had compiled. “It’s your choice.”

“There’s no protocol?” She looked shocked. “How are you supposed to elegantly eat at social gatherings?”

“It’s a _sloppy joe_.” He let out a small chuckle. “There’s not going to be anything elegant about this.”

“Oh my…” She stared down at her food thoughtfully.

Maxwell nudged her. “You just have to stop caring what everyone thinks, Hana. Like this.” He dropped his plastic fork, moving his head down to his plate and devouring the food on it, rising up moments later with a face full of barbeque sauce.

“Now you’re getting it.” Drake took in a large bite of his sandwich.

Hana’s mouth dropped. “I think my parents would _murder_ me if they saw me doing that!” She delicately used a fork and knife to take a bite. Her eyes widened in both astonishment and delight. “Oh, this is delicious!”

“Mmm…” Maxwell grabbed some remnants of the pulled pork off his plate and shoved it in his mouth. “…rich, tangy, sweet… and sooooo good!”

“I accept tokens of appreciation in cash, credit, or check,” Drake joked.

Riley looked amusingly at Hana, who had her lips covered in barbeque sauce. She looked up from her food to notice her staring. “…What?”

“Oh, just noticing that you, uh… you’re looking pretty… _saucy_ there, Hana…”

Her hands immediately flew to her face, accidentally smearing more sauce on her cheek. “ _Ohmygosh!_ ”

“Hana, don’t worry. Barbeque sauce is a good look for you.”

Hana laughed softly. “This may not be quite as embarrassing as the time I accidentally applied blush instead of powder to half my face.” She politely dabbed her mouth with a napkin.

Maxwell tugged at her napkin. “Hey, according to Drake, getting messy is half the point!”

Drake nodded. “Exactly.”

“Well, Maxwell…” Riley studied him with an entertained expression. “…it looks like a sauce container exploded on you, so mission accomplished.”

Maxwell smiled at her playfully, and before she could move away, he pounced on her, pulling her into a sauce-filled hug, making sure to swipe the side of his face against one of her cheeks and drag a saucy hand on the other. “Gotcha!”

“Ahhhh! _Maxwell!_ ”

“Revenge is sweet… and saucy!” He burst out laughing when he saw the results of his work. “Aww, we’re twinsies!”

She grabbed a fistful of her sloppy joe and smashed it in his face.

“Oh my!” Hana put a hand over her mouth.

“Hey!” His laughter didn’t let up, as pieces of sloppy joe dropped from his face and onto the sand below him.

“Settle down, children. Stop playing with your food.” Drake rolled his eyes, but his lips had a hint of a smile on them.

“Nice, _Dad_ , but he started it…” Riley smirked, looking over at Maxwell who finally settled himself down and continued eating, undaunted by his sauce-smeared face. He looked over at her and gave her an impish grin surrounded by barbeque sauce. She shook her head, smiling as they all enjoyed the barbeque while time drifted by.

A little while later, everyone sat around the table, the barbeque plate nearly empty. Maxwell patted his full stomach, groaning happily. “Again. That was sooooo good…”

Hana nodded in agreement. “I’ll have to ask the chefs back home to add barbeque chicken to the rotation…”

Drake stood up from the table. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to enjoy the water.”

Maxwell shook his head. “Not me. I’m ready to stretch out like a beached whale.”

“Suit yourself. You coming with me, Mason? Hana?”

Hana reached down and pulled a bottle from her bag. “Hang on, we need to put on sunscreen before we go.”

“Do we really?”

Riley reached for the bottle. “ _I_ would love some sunscreen.”

“Luckily, I brought enough for everyone.” Hana pulled off her dress to reveal her bikini underneath.

Reluctantly, Drake hung back and took his shirt off. Hana handed Riley a bottle of sunscreen, and she took it over to Drake. “Here, I’ll do you…”

He stared at her guardedly. “This _really_ doesn’t seem necessary…”

“Sun safety is no joke.” Starting at Drake’s shoulders, she rubbed sunscreen down the muscles of his back and then back up, making sure not to miss any exposed skin.

Drake looked behind him impatiently. “Is the lady satisfied?” He was rewarded with a big glob spread across his face. “Hey!”

“Put some on your face, or you’ll burn there.”

“I suppose you probably want me to put some on your back.”

Riley handed him the bottle. “Actually, yes, I do.”

He exhaled loudly. “You’re killing me, Mason.” He took a bit of sunscreen and massaged it into her back.

Hana walked over to them. “Ready to go?”

“More than ready.” He finished adding a touch of sunscreen across her shoulders. “I hope you’re not wearing your swimsuit for nothing, Mason. Who’s joining me?”

“Me!”

“Let’s do this!”

Drake ran into the ocean without hesitation, followed closely by Riley and Hana. While Riley shouted in delight, Hana froze, shivering in the waves. “It’s colder than I thought.”

An amused smile crossed his face. “You just need to adjust. Here, let me help.” Drake splashed Hana, the water crashing right into her face.

Hana screamed and shook the water from her face. “Pfffttbbb. That was a cheap shot!” She returned fire, splashing Drake with a wave of water.

“Now we’re talking.” He splashed water in Riley’s direction, but the water fell short.

“He’s declaring war!” Hana yelled.

“It was a warning shot.”

Riley shot him a mischievous look, her eyes flitting from Hana back to him. “Truce?”

Drake smiled wickedly. “Truce.”

At the same time, the both of them turned and bombarded Hana from different angles. “Ahhhh!” Hana sputtered, coughing and holding up her hands in defense. “Okay I get it. I’m vanquished!”

Drake high-fived Riley. “Nice work, Mason.”

Riley curled her arms up to show them off. “Let that be a warning that all should fear these cannons.”

He chuckled. “While we’re having competitions, let’s race, Mason.”

“Were you _not_ intimidated by my splashing prowess?”

“Let’s see how scary you are without my help.”

“Alright. You’re on.”

“We’ll swim to the far end of the beach and back to these rocks.”

“Agreed.”

“I’ll be the judge!” Hana volunteered, as Riley and Drake lined up near the rocks. “Ready, set… channel your inner mermaid!”

A flurry of splashes erupted as Riley and Drake took off. He swam out to take an early lead, but Riley put more strength into her fluid swimming motions. Reaching the far end of the beach, she swam close enough that Drake’s feet were within reach. With a cheeky grin, she decided it would be fun to sabotage him and grabbed at his foot.

He paused in the water, yanking his foot away as he looked back. “Hey! What was that?”

“Seaweed?” She grinned innocently.

He slowed down long enough for the two of them to become neck-and-neck as they both turned and swam back toward the rocks.

“I hope you’re ready to lose, Drake!” Riley shouted. As she was closing toward the finish line, her muscles began to burn from swimming so far. She gritted her teeth and pushed through the burn. _Not gonna lose to Drake…_ With the finish line almost within reach and Drake’s pace slowing down, she was able to overtake him.

“Riley wins!” Hana threw her arms in the air.

“Yes!” Riley cheered.

“I thought I had it…”

“Riley, in celebration of your victory, I want to give you something.”

“Is it a pearl?”

“You’ll have to wait and see.” Hana dove below the surface. Through the clear water, Riley could see her swim to the bottom of the shallows. She resurfaced, and holding out her hand, revealed a brightly colored seashell.

“Wow…” Riley eyed the beautifully colored shell as the sunlight glinted off its surfaces, highlighting the colors.

“Surprise.”

“How did you find this?”

“I saw it sitting at the bottom while you were racing. They’re quite common in the area.”

“It’s so pretty.”

“How come I don’t get anything?” Drake asked jokingly.

“Should’ve swam faster.” Riley shoved his shoulder.

“Oh, I know.” Hana quickly dove down into the water again.

“Wait, I…” Drake saw it was too late. “…I was just kidding…”

Hana resurfaced, handing him a sand dollar. “For you.”

He raised an eyebrow, staring down at it. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“You should wear it as a hat.” Riley grinned.

“That’s stupid.” Drake scowled down at the sand dollar. “This thing is stupid.”

“Your loss. It would’ve made a great hat… like a cute sand beret.”

“Whatever you say, Mason.” He threw the sand dollar back into the water and let it drift back down to the seafloor.

Hana shivered. “I’m starting to feel cold, so I think it’s time for some sunbathing.”

“Yeah. I’m feeling pretty done here myself.”

“Well, it was nice to get in the water for a bit though,” Riley dove underwater, preparing to head back with them.

Maxwell watched as she swam ashore, her wet hair glistening in the sun as she walked along the sand towards him. He smiled at her as she sat in the sand next to him.

“You seem a little overdressed for the beach.” She nudged him affectionately.

“Huh?”

“Don’t you want to kick of your shoes?”

“Hm… I guess that’s a thing to do at the beach, isn’t it?” He reached down, removing his leather shoes and socks, and then settled his bare feet into the soft sand, wiggling his toes. “Now this is feeling more like a party.”

“Well, it’s a _start…_ don’t you want to take off your shirt too?” She tugged at his shirt playfully as he nervously moved away, keeping it closed.

“No can do. Can’t risk burning up. No SPF in the world is strong enough to protect me.”

“Well, sun safety is important…”

“More like Bertrand would be mortified if I were to appear at royal functions beet-red.” He rubbed his neck unconsciously.

“Seriously… does Bertrand ruin _everything_ for you?” She gave him an exasperated look.

He laughed and nudged her knee with his. “Just most things. But I’m having fun now that you’re here. Are you having a good time?”

“Well…” she said as she leaned back on her hands. “It’s nice to spend time with just you.”

He froze for a moment. “Oh?” _Obviously friends-talk, Beaumont. Get it together. Don’t read too much into this!_

“Yeah, we really only see each other sporadically during the social events and what little down time we have afterward…” She gave what appeared to be almost a shy smile. “I kinda like hanging out with you…”

_How do I_ not _read into that?_  
 _Just. Don’t.  
Wait… but what if she…?_

 _Stop. You’re just friends. You’re overthinking this again!  
_ He smiled and gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze. “Well, I kinda like hanging out with you too. Never a dull moment with a friend like you around…” He watched as she gave a half-hearted smile back and turned to look at the ocean. _Escape. I need an escape from this awkwardness._ His eyes scanned the area, immediately finding the perfect opening. “I hate to ruin the moment, but I see another opportunity for you. Look over there…”

By the appetizers, Riley could see Penelope dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. She turned back to Maxwell, quirking an eyebrow. “An opportunity for… what? Advice on how to best groom a poodle?”

“Looks like she’s having a hard day.”

“Yeah, poor Penelope…” Somehow, she was not _completely_ sorry for the woman, but it was not like she wished anything bad upon her either.

“This could be your big chance to get her on your side! Remember, competitors or not, you’re going to need the court to think well of you if you’re going to be the next queen. So get over there and befriend her! Use that Riley charm!”

She slowly got up and left Maxwell by the water, heading over to where Penelope was standing. _Befriend the Poodle Empress… this oughta go down well…_ “Hello, Penelope.”

Penelope lifted her gaze to see who had approached her, and the expression in her eyes made it clear she was not thrilled to see her standing there. “Oh. It’s _you_.”

_Oh good. The feeling’s mutual._ She forced a smile. “Penelope, is that any way to greet a _friend_?”

She gave a bewildered look. “We’re not friends… er… are we?”

“Perhaps not _technically_ , but I’d _like_ to be friends. It seems like you’re having a difficult time today.”

“I supposed it’s obvious, isn’t it? I got terribly seasick from the Regatta, and now, I’ll be stuck here on this beach in the sun for hours… My advisors said I only needed to look pretty at the balls and flirt with the Prince. But it hasn’t gone that way all. Between you, Olivia, and Madeleine… I don’t have any chance at all. What’s the point of even staying here?”

“Penelope, you’ve still got a chance with the Prince!”

Penelope shot her an angry look. “Don’t patronize me! I see the way he looks at you. And you don’t even have a title or wealth!”

“Gee, thanks.”

“The last thing I need is some commoner wench _pitying_ me. You know, I—”

“Just a minute. Did you just call me a _wench_?” Riley glared at her.

Penelope met her stare dead-on. “Yes. I did. The whole court knows how much Aidan has been favoring you and at the same time, how _close_ you and Maxwell have been.”

“Shows you to listen to rumors, Penelope. Maxwell is my sponsor, and we are very good friends. Nothing more. And besides, hasn’t it been _you_ that’s been groping him in public lately, looking for his attention?” Riley crossed her arms, waiting for her retort.

She turned bright red. “Well I… I…”

“I’m willing to forget this if you are, Penelope.” She watched as Penelope nodded her head eagerly, still blushing. “Back to the reason I came… there’s more to this competition than just the Prince.”

“Huh?” She looked at her, confused. “Like what?”

“Like forming friendships and bonds with the other women here…”

“I don’t know…” She looked at her nervously.

“Even though we’re competing now, it won’t always be that way. One of us will marry the Prince, and then it’s over… We should at least try to get something more out of it, don’t you think?”

“That sounds right… but I—” Suddenly, Penelope’s eyes went wide and she dropped her plate of appetizers. “Eek! Oh my goodness, help! Something is _attacking_ me!”

Looking down, Riley could see a tiny sand crab had latched a claw onto Penelope’s foot. “Come here, little guy…” She gently detached the crab from her foot and flung it away.

Penelope stared at her admiringly. “Riley, that was… amazing! You _saved_ me!”

_Really? She’ll viciously attack me over court rumors, but she’ll freak out over a tiny sea creature that’s not even a couple inches tall?_ “Hey, you just survived being attacked by a vicious sand crab. Maybe you’re tougher than you think.”

“Maybe. But I’m not going to win the Prince’s heart.” Her shoulders slumped and her expression appeared dejected. “I’m going to leave here a failure…”

“Hardly. You can still use your time here to your best advantage.”

“And what’s that?”

“By making allies. Help me get the court to see me favorably, and when I’m queen, I’ll remember that you were there for me.”

Penelope stared at her, considering her words. “I suppose I could put in a good word for you here and there…”

“Thank you!” She watched as Penelope walks away. _I suppose I can count that as success, despite some hiccups…_ She was about to rejoin Maxwell when she bumped into Aidan.

“Riley…” he said, smiling happily. “There you are.”

“Looking for me?”

“Yeah. I brought you a drink…” He handed her a glass of lemonade garnished with fresh mint leaves. “It’s hot out, so I thought you’d like something refreshing…”

She took a sip of the mint lemonade, savoring the taste on her tongue. “Mmmm, perfect. Tart and sugary.”

“Just like you.”

“I’m… _tart_?”

“In a way. You certainly have an interesting way of letting your opinions be known…”

“Uh-huh. Not hearing the compliment yet…” She grinned teasingly.

“…And you’re incredibly sweet?” He curved an arm around her waist and stared down at her, smiling.

“Aww, thanks… Now, I can’t believe you’d come all the way to see me just to give me a drink…”

“What if I did? It’s all part of the royal service…”

“Oh really? What other services can I expect from the Crown Prince of Cordonia?”

“Well… to be honest, I was looking for you because I wanted to take you somewhere… I know of a special place called the Forgotten Falls… It’s a short hike from here, but it’s gorgeous…”

“Is it the next stop today?”

“Well, not for everyone. I used to go there often as a kid. It’s a really special place to me. I don’t want to share it with just anyone… but it would mean a lot to me to share it with you. I’d like to go there with you now, if you’re up for it…” He smiled down at her, his eyes inviting.

“Not to mention that it’d be some time… alone together.”

“Well, yes, there’s that too…”

“Aidan… I’d love to go to the Forgotten Falls with you.”

He beamed joyfully. “I’m glad you said that…” He waited as she placed her drink down, and then he took her hand, leading her past the beach and through some brush.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell watched the two retreating figures of Riley and Aidan wander down the beach and then turned away. For a moment there, it looked like she was going to return to talk with him again, which made his heart lift. And then, there _he_ was, with his charming princely disposition that almost immediately drew an animated smile from her face. It was obvious who she’d rather be with.

He began doodling aimlessly in the sand until a shadow fell across the markings. He looked up just as Hana settled herself down beside him. “Lovely day, isn’t it?” she said with a smile.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment.

“Thanks for the picture,” he said quietly, staring out at the ocean.

“Mm-hmm…” She leaned back on her arms, smirking up at him. “Thought you’d like that. I mean… not that I’d _know_ anything, since you don’t really talk much to me… about anything… or…” She leaned in closer with a shrewd expression in her eyes. “… _anyone_ in particular…”

His hands began fidgeting as he tried to keep his focus on the ocean. Damn it. The woman was relentless. He could see why she and Riley got along so well. He could easily see the two of them becoming quite the spirited team together.

Moments passed. She still had her probing eyes resting on him. He could feel her gaze burning against the side of his face… or at least, he would _hope_ that’s what it was, and not him beginning to blush. A quiet chuckle escaped her lips, and suddenly his entire face felt like it was on fire. Oh god… he _was_ blushing. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the satisfied smile that was spreading across her face. She had him.

“Fine,” he sighed, finally meeting her eyes. “You got me.”

“Yes!” Hana gave a slight squeal of excitement and immediately covered her mouth to compose herself. Her eyes were still shining with delight behind her hands. “Tell me _everything!_ ”

A small smile escaped him. Her schoolgirl reaction was endearing. “Honestly, Hana… there’s not too much of a story there. I just happen to like her a little…” He watched as she quirked an eyebrow at him. “…Okay, _a lot_ more than I should.”

“Maxwell, that is so sweet!”

“Yeah, well… it stops there.” He turned to look back at the ocean. “I’m just her sponsor, and I brought her here for Aidan. She really likes him. You can tell they’re perfect for each other with the obvious chemistry between them.”

“So there’s no chance that you and her could…” She trailed off, staring at him inquisitively.

“No.” He sighed, his head dropping a little. “Aidan’s my friend, and I already feel bad enough that I feel this way about her.” He met her eyes again. “And it’s not like she’d ever feel like that for me anyway, so… case closed.”

She stayed quiet for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face. “Did you ever think that maybe it’s possible that she…”

“No. She doesn’t.”

“You didn’t let me finish.” Hana gave him an annoyed look, then continued. “I was asking, if you thought it was possible that she… might actually have feelings for…”

He looked away. “Hana, just don’t…”

“Maxwell, interrupt me again, and you will be eating sand!” Hana narrowed her eyes. “This is for your own good.”

It was evident that Hana was completely comfortable saying what she thought around him. He was somehow scared of her and at the same time, so tempted to see how she would make good on her threat. This friendship idea between them was beginning to sound not so bad. “Okay, okay…” he said, a slight smile on his face. “I’ll hear you out.”

“Good. Have you considered the possibility that she might have feelings for _both_ of you?”

He blinked. “Aidan, I get. But why _me?_ ”

“Why _not_ you?” Hana put her head on her hands and looked at him questioningly.

His mind began racing all over again. Where would he start? His past? His long line of continuous mistakes? The fact that the whole reason she was here in the first place was for _Aidan_ , not him? He put his head down and put his hands behind his neck. “Hana, can we please change the subject?”

She nodded sympathetically and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Okay…”

It would never happen. He had a mission to complete, and he was going to finish it, no matter what. And so what if Hana _might_ be right? Even if she did have feelings for both of them, there was only going to be one winner out of this. And there was no way a court jester could ever compete with the Crown Prince of Cordonia.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After a short climb, Aidan led Riley into a clearing that revealed a gorgeous waterfall. “Here we are… the Forgotten Falls.” He smiled as she stared in awe at the massive cascade of water flowing down into the small pool below. “Do you like it?”

“It’s amazing!”

“I knew you’d love it as much as I do. There’s a legend about how this waterfall came to be. It’s said that hundreds of years ago, there were two lovers from warring clans. They were forbidden from being together, but they would meet here, at this hidden cove, and make their plans to run away together. When the day came for them to leave, they vowed to meet here at dawn. When dawn came, the woman waited and waited, but her lover never appeared. They say he was caught by her people and killed. But she never had the heart to leave this spot. So she knelt on the cliffs and wept, and her tears became the waterfall, until that’s all that was left of her.”

“That’s a sad story.”

“Tell me, Riley, what would you have done if you were the woman in the story?”

“If I were the woman in the story, I would’ve never let anyone hurt my lover in the first place!”

He chuckled. “You know what? I believe you. You’re one of the fiercest people I’ve ever met, Riley.”

“Thanks.”

“There’s one silver lining to this story…”

“Oh?”

His gaze moved to the very top of the falls. “It’s said that if two lovers climb to the top of the waterfall and jump in together, they’ll get the blessing of the lady of the waterfall…”

She cast him an impish smile. “I see… so is this your way of telling me you think we should be… _lovers_?”

His face immediately turned several shades of red as he stumbled over his words. “I didn’t think… I mean, I wasn’t trying to…”

“So…” She winked. “…you _don’t_ ever think about it?”

“I didn’t say _that_. I’m only human, Riley.” He smiled coyly. “Besides, would it be presumptuous of me to guess _you’ve_ had similar thoughts?”

As she watched, Aidan pulled off his shirt and dropped it on the ground. “I… er… I have thoughts,” she muttered, running her eyes over his muscular torso.

He grinned, happy to even the score. “Heh. Are you ready? It seems like you’re already dressed for the occasion. Now, we climb!”

“Up the cliff face?”

“There’s not exactly an elevator way out here. Are you up for it?”

“Race you to the top! Ready, set, go!” She scrabbled up the side of the cliff, grabbing handfuls of vines and finding handholds in the rocks.

Aidan laughed behind her, immediately giving chase. “Hey, wait up!”

“If you want me, you’ve got to catch me!”

As she got over the top of the cliff, she suddenly felt Aidan tackle her from behind. The two of them rolled over and over until he ended up on top of her, pinning her down and grinning in triumph. “Got you.”

“I still won the race.”

“I’ll gladly admit defeat to you, Riley Mason.” He pulled away, extending a hand to help her up. “Ready to jump?”

She peered over the edge of the waterfall. “I didn’t realize how high up we are!”

“It’s better if you don’t think about that right now. Hold my hand.” Her hand slipped into his. “I think some would call this a leap of faith.” He smiled down at her. “On three? One… two…”

“Three!” Before Aidan could react, Riley tackled him off the waterfall’s edge, and the two of them fell together, plunging deep into the water before they surfaced.

Aidan wiped the water from his eyes, laughing in amazement. “You never cease to surprise me.” The two of them floated in the water for a moment. He reached out and tenderly brushed his hand against hers. “Thank you.”

Riley looked over at him, running her hand along his in return. “For what?”

“For coming here with me. For actually getting to know me. For… for caring about me, Riley. I’ve never had anyone in my life like you. And now that I have you…” He drew closer to her. “I never want to lose you…”

A subtle blush began crawling its way up her cheeks, and she turned her gaze away. “You’re getting sappy on me, Aidan…” She sent splashes of water at him.

“Hey!” He smiled playfully. “Don’t think that just because you’re a lady, I won’t fight back.”

“On the contrary… I expect it!” She splashed him again.

Laughing, Aidan splashed her back. The two of them floundered in the water until he caught her wrist, and she met his gaze again, his words moving through her once more. She pulled him close with her captured arm, his gaze never leaving hers. She drew her other arm around his neck and gently pulled him down to her, pressing her lips to his in a gentle but fervent kiss. Her hand moved to his chest, and he caught it, placing his hand over hers.

“Riley…” he breathed out, pulling back slowly, looking at her in surprise.

“You have to know you can’t say all those romantic things to me and not expect to get kissed…”

“Fair enough. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it…” Hesitance joined his expression. “It’s just…” He traced a hand down her face softly.

“Just what?”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen… but the last thing I’d want is for you to get hurt.”

“Aidan… I’m the kind of girl who can take care of herself. I would’ve thought you’d know that by now.”

“You’re right. I’m usually a quicker study, I promise. It’s just… I care about you. More than you know… and definitely more than I should.” He looked down at her, taking her hand into his once again, his gaze full of want and longing. “Riley…”

She could feel her heart begin to race as she pulled his head down to hers, sharing a much more heated kiss as his arms brought her flush against him. She felt him lower her down gently onto the sand, and she could suddenly feel him all around her, his mouth moving down the curve of her neck. She rolled her head to the side, letting out a soft moan of pleasure, whispering his name as he murmured hers against her skin, the vibrations of his voice sending delicious chills down her spine. She ran her fingers through his hair, bringing him close, enjoying the weight and warmth of him surrounding her.

Breathlessly, they pulled apart, his forehead touching hers and his eyes dark with desire… and something else. “We haven’t known each other very long, but every moment I spend with you, I can’t help but feel…” He breathed in slowly, his thumb stroking the side of her face softly. “Riley, I think… I’m in lo—”

Suddenly, movement exploded from the bushes next to them, and he pulled her away quickly, shielding her body with his. She noticed a startled bird shoot off as a fox chased it, and they both disappeared into another set of bushes. Riley and Aidan looked at each other and laughed softly. “Er… you were saying?” she asked, biting her lip.

He dropped his gaze to the water. “Never mind. It was nothing…” He shook his head and then gave her a regretful look. “I suppose we should head back…”

“Yeah.” She turned her head, masking her disappointment. “We’ve been gone long enough that people will be starting to look for us…”

Aidan wrapped her in his arms. “No matter how much time we have together, Riley, it’s just never enough, is it?”

She pulled him close, her head turned into his chest, feeling the strength of his heartbeat against her ear. “Not by a long shot…” she murmured against him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The two of them returned to the beach, just after the sun had set, so that the sky was slowly fading from a backdrop of red, orange, and yellow and into a dark blue blanket of sparkling stars. Aidan turned to her, brushing some stray damp strands of hair from her face. “I had a good time, Riley… I find myself reluctant to leave you…”

“Maybe we can just take a little while longer…” She took his hand, smiling up at him, when suddenly, they heard Aidan’s name being called.

King Constantine emerged from the shadows. “Aidan?”

Riley pulled her hand away from Aidan quickly as King Constantine approached them. Aidan straightened himself, appearing surprised to see him there. “Father. You’re on the beach!”

“I have been known to leave the palace to grace our shores from time to time…” King Constantine’s eyes took a sweeping glance over the ocean before returning to meet Aidan’s stare.

“I just mean we rarely get the honor of your presence at the beach party after the Regatta…”

“You have me there, but today, I thought it might be warranted.” Riley wasn’t sure if she was imagining things, but she could swear it sounded like the old king was having some slight trouble with his breathing tonight. “I’m sure you heard my announcement earlier about my, ah, retirement…”

Aidan nodded stiffly. “I did.”

“I feel I owe you an explanation.” King Constantine turned and nodded politely to her. “Lady Riley, please pardon us, but I’d like to have a moment alone with my son.”

Riley curtsied politely. “Of course, Your Highness.”

As the King turned to go, Aidan touched her shoulder. “I’ll find you later, Lady Riley.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The moonlight glimmered across the ocean waves as she watched them move back and forth toward the land. Stars showered across the sky in a gorgeous display around the moon. The beach was finally quiet as she sat on the sand, resting her hands on her knees. Pretty much everyone had returned to the palace for the evening, leaving her in blissful peace, with the music of the ocean for company.

The image of King Constantine played in her mind as he had walked up to Aidan. He did not look well. But there was also something in his eyes. _The King looked troubled. I hope everything is okay…_

Then her attention turned to Aidan. What they just had was nothing short of amazing. He was charming, romantic, passionate… and his touch left her craving more of him. She was finding herself falling a little more for him, and the feeling had seemed to be mutual. There was only one problem…

A certain close friend stood out in her mind that she was still very much attracted to, though he did not appear to want anything further than what they had. Still, every time he came to her room to wake her up in the morning, every time they had a few moments to share with one another, every time he smiled at her, she looked forward to much more. She _wanted_ more of him.

_Oh god… I’m in love with_ both _of them._ She groaned, dropping her head against her hands. “What’s wrong with me?” she asked aloud to no one.

“I could have fun with that question…” an amused voice answered behind her.

She looked back to find Drake standing a few feet from her, his thumbs hooked in his pockets as he watched the ocean. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long.” He dropped to the sand next to her. “What are you still doing out here, Mason? Everyone’s gone back to the palace by now.”

“You’re not.”

“I’m traveling with Aidan. Just waiting for him to finish up. So…” He casually laid an arm over his knee and looked at her inquiringly. “Why are _you_ here?”

“Well, Aidan and I had just returned from the Forgotten Falls, and I just kind of stayed back for a little peace and quiet.”

“Forgotten Falls…” A look of nostalgia appeared in his eyes. “Haven’t been there since I was kid. So that’s where he took you. Good sign, I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not rocket science. Just that things are going well for you two.” He turned to face the ocean.

“Yeah…”

“Problem?” He turned his head sharply, noticing the change in her tone.

“What? No! Things are great… they’re… they’re really good…”

He looked at her skeptically. “But…?”

No _way_ was she about to admit to him her feelings for Maxwell, especially after their performance at the Regatta to throw him off the rumors. Obviously, he was feeling protective of his best friend, so she couldn’t blame him for being suspicious of her. “It’s… this competition… just not fond of the politics sometimes.” She shrugged. “I know it comes with the territory, but…”

“You’re doing fine, Mason.”

“Did you just… give me a compliment, Drake?”

“Don’t let it go to your head.” He nudged her shoulder, knocking her off balance.

“Hey!” She shoved him, which didn’t prove very effective, as he stayed rooted in place.

“A for effort.” He smirked, then turned his attention back to the ocean, a pensive look appearing on his face.

She watched him for a moment. “Thinking of Savannah?”

His head dropped a little. “Yeah…” he said quietly.

“Maybe she’s watching the stars tonight with us… you know, wherever she is…” She put a hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head, giving her a small, grateful smile. “I suppose.”

“Do you… want to talk about her some more?” She smiled hesitantly. “I know it’s not an easy subject for you.”

He nodded. “What do you wanna know?”

“Was she able to make any friends at court? Before all this happened, I mean…”

“She had very few. But she really loved the courtly life, regardless. Kind of infuriating, actually, seeing as how she was being treated. I saw right through those people, but she seemed to take it in stride, as if that was how it should have been.”

“Which obviously it shouldn’t have.”

“All the money in the world and they couldn’t even afford some common human decency…” He let out a low growl, shaking his head. “These nobles find commoners like us to be nothing, Mason. We are below them. People like us will never have a place in their fancy world and they love to remind us of it every chance they get.”

“All the more reason to prove them wrong!” She gave him a determined smile, nudging him lightly.

He chuckled. “Yeah, you are definitely creating some waves for them right now.”

“So is that why she eventually left? Everyone became too much?”

“That’s still a mystery. She was really happy there. There were a couple noble ladies that she talked to regularly, and she was good friends with the Beaumonts. In fact, Bertrand, back when he was actually a pretty decent guy, actually defended her against some of the more unpleasant nobles who tried undermining her place at social events.”

“Wow… I mean, it’s easy to imagine Maxwell around a woman, but thinking of Savannah and Bertrand…”

A disgusted look crossed his face. “That’s sick, Mason. This is my _sister_ we’re talking about.”

“Hey, for all you know, it was that _sexy_ sweater vest and bushy eyebrows that did her in.”

“Do you _really_ want me to throw up my sloppy joe from earlier, Mason? Because that’s how you do it.”

She giggled. “I can see the royal cleaning bill now from the giant mess that occurred in the royal limo, courtesy of American cuisine and an aversion to thoughts of Ber…”

“Don’t say it.” He grimaced, waving his hand frantically as if to erase the thoughts. He pulled out his phone, buzzing from a few notifications. “Guess it’s time to head out.” He stood up, brushing the sand from his pants and holding a hand out to her. “I’ll walk you to your limo.”

As the two of them neared the lot where all the limos were parked, Drake turned to her. “Hey, Mason.”

“Yeah?”

“Just remember, while the competition is all about Aidan… ultimately, you do have a say in the final decision when the time comes.” His eyes drifted to the Beaumont’s limo behind her before returning to her gaze. “G’night, Mason.”

Riley stayed silent as she watched his figure retreat down towards the royal limo group.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She climbed into the Beaumont’s limo, joining both Maxwell and Bertrand who had been waiting for her to return. Maxwell looked up as she settled in. “Look who finally made it.”

“I’m sure my absence was absolutely heart-wrenching for you,” Bertrand said cynically.

“Aren’t you sad you missed out, Bertrand?” Riley asked him.

“Roasting in the sun while watching little boats go by is hardly what I’d consider stimulating. In fact…” He scowled in his brother’s direction. “I wouldn’t even be here right now if I thought Maxwell could handle this on his own.”

Maxwell flinched. “I can handle it… probably…”

“Between forgetting to teach her the Cordonian Waltz until the last minute and not warning her that she’d need swim attire, I’m starting to wonder if I can trust you with even the simplest tasks!”

“How’d you know about the swimsuit thing?”

“I have my ways. And I’ll be keeping a closer eye on Riley, even if it means neglecting our estate. So clear your calendars… we need to prepare for the next event.”

“Can’t we at least take tonight off? It’s been a long day… we all deserve some rest!”

“You can rest when Riley is crowned Queen of Cordonia… and from where we’re standing, that’s not going to be anytime soon.”

“Right, sorry. What I meant was _tonight_ I want to stay up all night to train and prepare Riley for the next event!”

“I’m glad we’re in agreement. Now… Lady Riley, we’ll be preparing you for… the Apple Blossom Festival!”

“Great!” She stared in confused silence for a moment. “…What is that?”

“It’s kind of what it sounds like.” Maxwell laughed. “I hope you like apples… because this festival’s got a lot of them!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well, this scene sure looks familiar…” Riley emerged from the entrance door and into the lush greenery of the treehouse garden, having searched for Maxwell and finally discovering him out there.

He looked down at her from his perch on top of the treehouse. “Busted.” He gave her a small smile.

“Weren’t we supposed to _train_ according to Bertrand?” she teased.

“Oh yeah, forgot about that…” He laughed. “Thought I’d go for a walk and just ended up out here.”

“Can I come up?”

“Be my guest.” He moved over to give her room as she climbed up to sit beside him. “So what’s your excuse?”

“Went to your room to find you and I got stuck face to face with your brother.”

“Ouch. Sorry.”

“To avoid letting _him_ take over lessons, I told him I just remembered we agreed to meet elsewhere and ran off as fast as I could!” She laughed, then looked down at the notebook he was holding, catching a glimpse of a sketch before he quickly closed it. “Hey, let me see that!”

“It’s nothing…” He held it closed, blushing.

“Oh come on, how bad could it be?” She put her hand over his. “I promise I won’t laugh.” He relented, slowly removing his hand and opening the notebook to reveal what he had been doodling. She could see that it was a picture of a squid wearing what looked like a suit of armor and fighting against some other odd-looking characters. “Is that… a squid… in armor?”

“That could be a thing, couldn’t it?”

“If you remember, dolphin pirates exist. Why not squid knights battling for glory?”

An excited grin spread across his face. “And they have _eight_ arms too. Can you imagine all the weapons he could hold at once?”

“He’d be the deadliest knight around, that’s for sure. No one would mess with Sir Squid!”

“Squids are the best creatures ever!” He bounced in his seat, looking at her. “You know one of the earliest known ancestors of the squid is a creature called Kimberella? Sounds like some kind of cool exotic squid princess, doesn’t it?”

“It _does_ …” She looked at him with an amused smile. “Also sounds like a Disney knockoff.”

“Hey!” He put a hand to his chest, feigning hurt. “I bet Disney stole it. Only a squid could pull off such awesomeness. While Cinderella endured her evil stepmother and stepsisters, _Kimberella_ sought revenge and had her evil family fed to the Kraken!”

“Kimberella sounds like a force to be reckoned with.” Riley giggled.

“You know it! Never mess with the squid princess!” Maxwell beamed, happy in his little world as he closed his notebook and set it beside him.

The two of them sat quietly for several moments, enjoying the night breeze.

“I should go back in. It’s getting cold out here.”

Maxwell looked at her. “Why didn’t you change into something warmer?”

“I didn’t expect to find you outside?”

“Good to know I can still be unpredictable.” He grinned, then pulled his jacket off, wrapping it around her and pulling her to him. “But I’m not quite ready to go inside yet… will this help you with the warmth predicament?”

“You could say that.” She drew his jacket tighter around her, the scent of him flooding her nostrils. “I know we didn’t get to talk too much today, with everything going on.”

“Well, I know you and Aidan were busy…” His voice trailed off.

“…About that…”

“Which is good!” he suddenly continued, talking quickly. “I mean, you’re here for him and you’re a frontrunner in the competition already.” He breathed in deeply and looked down to her. “Things are really… looking up… you know…”

She laid her head back against him, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze, staring intently at him. “Maybe…” she whispered.

As if his body were being pulled by an unknown energy, he found himself slowly lowering his face toward hers, holding her gaze. In turn, her face drew closer, as if the two of them were magnetized. The bottoms of their lips brushed faintly against each other, creating a spark so powerful between them they immediately snapped out of their trances, pulling away instantly and staring at each other in silent shock for a moment.

“I… I gotta go…” Maxwell pulled away further, grabbing his notebook and jumping down from the treehouse.

“Maxwell, wait!”

“Riley, this isn’t right. None of it is.” He gave her one last pained look before disappearing into the palace entrance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She held onto the jacket that he’d quickly abandoned as he made his hasty escape from the treehouse garden. As she made her way throughout the maze of halls and stairways of the palace toward their rooms, she debated whether to table this for another night. On one hand, yeah, they crossed the line in their friendship. On the other hand… she knew she was slowly falling for Aidan, and yet there was also the unrelenting attraction she still felt whenever Maxwell was near. This was going to be trouble for all of them. She _had_ to talk to him.

She was dreading it with every step closer, ready to get it overwith. He had basically rejected her right there, so how hard was it going to be for her to just tell him and have him throw the “here for Aidan” line back in her face? She sighed as she finally reached his door, timidly knocking.

Bertrand’s face appeared at the door. Just who she wanted to see… “Lady Riley!” he said in surprise. “What can I do for you?”

“Uh…” She held up Maxwell’s jacket. “Maxwell left this after our training session. I just wanted to return it to him.”

“Ah, very well.” He opened the door, waving her in. “He’s in the suite to the right.”

_Well, that went easier than I thought…_ She went over to his door, finding it slightly ajar. She pushed it open, peeking inside. “Maxwell?” The room appeared empty as she walked inside, shutting the door behind her.

Maxwell came out of his bathroom, wearing his t-shirt and sweatpants. His eyes widened as he saw her standing there. “Riley? I… What are you doing here?” His eyes moved nervously to the side.

She stepped forward taking a deep breath. “Look, Maxwell, there’s something I’ve been wanting to…” Her eyes had been following his gaze, and they landed on his laptop. A woman was watching the two of them curiously. “Um…”

“Riley… this is… Grace…”

Riley waved slowly to the beautiful woman, who smiled back at her.

“It’s nice to meet you, Riley,” she said. “Maxwell has spoken very highly of you.”

“It’s… nice to meet you too…” Riley said slowly, looking at her. “You’ve been such a huge secret, to be honest, so I wish I could say I knew something about you…”

“Well…” Grace smiled softly. “There’s actually a reason for that…”

The next words he spoke were blurted out before his brain could rationalize what he had been planning to say.

“Grace is my girlfriend.”


	11. It Means Nothing

** Chapter 11: It Means Nothing **

_Grace is my girlfriend._

The silence was deafening in the room the moment those words escaped his lips. His jaw shook slightly as he opened his mouth to say something further, but he could no longer speak. Grace stared at him with wide eyes. Riley stood frozen in place, looking at him quietly. His heart was pounding so loudly he could hear the blood pumping all the way in his ears. There were many times he had said things without thinking clearly, most of which people would either laugh at or dismiss as an accidental gaffe on his part. People were used to him saying the oddball things. But he was not in public now. And no one was laughing here.

Grace finally broke their silence. “Um… _darling…_ ” she said, giving him a pointed look. “How about I leave you two to talk… I’ll catch up with you later.”

“No.” Riley slowly dropped his jacket onto the bed. “I… um… I really only just came by to drop this off.” Her expression remained stoic as she backed away. “Sorry to disturb you. I’ll go.”

“Riley, wait…”

“Good night, Maxwell. Grace.” She slipped out the door without another word.

His head dropped. What had he done now? He lifted his gaze to meet Grace’s disapproving frown. Great. “ _Girlfriend_ , Maxwell? Are you out of your mind?!” Yep. She was clearly not thrilled with his stunt.

“I panicked, okay?”

“Over _what_ exactly?”

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I almost _kissed_ her tonight.”

A small smile formed on her face. “…And that’s a bad thing?”

“It would have ruined everything.” He put his hands behind his head.

“I’m not following…” She frowned again, watching him shuffle back and forth. “Maxwell, sit down. You’re not doing yourself any favors trying to stress-dance this away.”

He sat at the edge his bed uncomfortably, legs still bouncing restlessly as he looked down at his fidgeting hands. “Aidan. He is like crazy in love with her, and she feels the same way. I see it. I can’t do that to them.”

“So… Aidan has for sure chosen her as his queen then?”

“Well, not officially…” He shook his head. “And that’s the other issue. She _needs_ to win this, so they can be together. I almost compromised this entire thing.”

“Why does she _need_ to win, Maxwell? What if… she’s meant to take a _different_ path?” She stared candidly at him.

He looked down, purposely avoiding her gaze. “It isn’t just for them. She represents our house. Bertrand is really riding all of his hope on her at this point.”

“And what if she didn’t win? Surely, she’s not the _only_ way for your house to gain more status. I mean, sure if she became queen, that would be quite the reputation for you, but let’s be honest… it won’t be the end of the world if she _didn’t_ …”

“I just really want to help him out. He’s counting on me to get her through this…”

“Oh to hell with Bertrand, Maxwell!” she said heatedly, causing him to look up at her in surprise. “He’s a grown man just like you. You don’t have to give everything up for him. Don’t you think you deserve something for yourself for once?” She waited for him to respond for a long moment. Her eyes then grew sad as he looked away from her again, still silent. “You… you really _don’t_ think that, do you? After all you do for everyone else… after all you’ve done for _me_?”

“Grace, I…”

“Maxwell, if you keep giving away pieces of yourself for the sake of everyone else, there will be soon nothing left for _you_. Make sure you’re keeping something for yourself along the way.” She turned her head, then looked back at him. “I have to go. Just… think about it.”

He nodded. “I will.”

“And by the way, we’re breaking up.” She gave him a small sarcastic smile.

He chuckled. “Well that’s harsh… won’t that be hard on the kids?”

“Sure you don’t mean _squids_?” The two of them shared a laugh. “Look… I went along with your little lie tonight, but if there happens to be a ‘next time,’ don’t expect me to do it again. She doesn’t deserve that from you, and you are better than this. You should talk to her sooner than later.”

“I know…” He considered her words for a moment. “Grace?”

“Yeah?”

“Is it okay if I tell her about you?”

She drew in her breath, and he already knew the answer before she said it. “She seems like a very loyal and trustworthy person. I do like her. But the less she knows, the better, Maxwell. All it takes is for the wrong person to hear something, and…”

“You’re right. Sorry. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt.”

“I trust you, Maxwell.” She smiled. “Now make sure she can too.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He stared at her closed door for several minutes, trying to gather the courage to knock. How was he ever going to explain this one to her? Finally, his hands found the strength to knock on the door. A moment passed. Perhaps she had already gone to sleep. Maybe she didn’t want to see him. She had, in fact, walked right out of his room the moment he slipped up.

While his mind raced with every possible scenario, the door quietly opened, and her face appeared. When she saw who it was, she opened the door wider to let him in. “Come in.”

He shut the door behind him and turned to her. “I just came to apologize. There are a couple things I just wanted to straighten out…”

“Is that so?” a deep voice spoke out behind her.

Riley winced. “Sorry, I meant to tell you that I was…” She turned and moved slightly to the side, revealing her open laptop, where two men sat on the screen watching them with varying degrees of interest. He recognized one of them from the bar in New York and the other from the pictures she had shown him from her life back home.

Daniel immediately waved. “Ohhh… that’s Maxwell, isn’t it? Hi!”

Carl nodded in his direction, just staring at him for a moment as if he were sizing him up. Riley quietly cleared her throat, giving him a warning look. He looked over at her, and the two of them appeared to be exchanging different expressions between each other.

Daniel looked between them and then back at Maxwell. “Don’t mind them. They have this ‘eye-talking’ thing that even I never understood. Usually it happens when Carl’s in trouble with Riley… ow! Hey!” He fell over as Carl reached out and shoved him off his chair. Riley crossed her arms, staring pointedly at him, and he rolled his eyes, grabbing Daniel’s hand and helping him up. As Daniel settled himself back in his chair, he shot Maxwell a look that said, “Told you so.”

Maxwell held back a laugh, but his eyes were clearly showing amusement. Daniel just smiled at him. “Hey Riley, we’ll go ahead and cut this short.” He ignored Carl’s eye roll.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you all. I could come back,” Maxwell said, feeling a little guilty for intruding on her family time.

“Nonsense. We’ll just pick this back up with her later. Carl and I were about to head out for drinks anyway… _right, Carl?_ ” He looked pointedly at him.

Carl gave a wry smile. “Right.” He looked over towards Riley. “You know how to reach us.”

“Bye Riley! Bye Maxwell!” Daniel waved at them both.

Riley and Maxwell waved as she disconnected the call and then turned to him. “Sorry about Carl. He gets in his moods. Daniel, however, you never have to worry about. He makes friends with pretty much anyone.”

He laughed somewhat nervously. “I take it Carl doesn’t like me much.”

“Don’t take it personal. He’s the overprotective type… usually when it comes to anyone that I li… make new friends with… at first anyway.” She took the opportunity to turn away from him and place her laptop into its bag. “So…” She turned back to him. “You had something to say?”

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I… I really messed up, Riley… with you, I mean…”

She sat down on her bed, patting the seat next to her. “Sit with me. You know you can always talk to me about anything, right?”

“Even if it’s really, really super bad? Like ‘I definitely should not have done that’ kind of bad?”

“Of course.” She looked at him expectantly.

He sighed, sitting down next to her, looking ashamed. “Grace isn’t my girlfriend,” he admitted. “She never was. I only said that because…” He trailed off, unsure of how to continue without confessing feelings he shouldn’t have been feeling.

She waited a moment. “Because…” She put a hand on his arm, encouraging him to continue.

The sound of her phone buzzing against her night table made them jump, and she moved to check the message.

**Aidan:** Apologies for never getting back to you tonight.

**Aidan:** It was a long talk.

**Riley:** Is everything all right?

There was a long pause in his response, though she could see the three dots along the bottom as he appeared to be formulating a response.

**Aidan:** It is, now that I’ve heard from you. ❤

**Aidan:** I really enjoyed our time today.

**Aidan:** I will try to be in touch later this week if I can. Lots of meetings.

**Riley:** Of course. Take care of yourself, Aidan. 😙

**Aidan:** Sweet dreams, Lady Riley. 💘

As he watched her text Aidan momentarily, he suddenly knew what he was going to say. This was the only way to fix things. When she finally put the phone down and gave him her attention again, he continued. “Because… of what happened in the treehouse garden between us. You see, Riley…” He put his hand over hers. “You and I have this really close friendship. Sometimes to me it feels like one of those extra strong friendships… where you want to kiss your friend sometimes…”

“Maxwell…” She looked at him quietly.

He continued to talk, not letting her get a word in. “And when I realized what was happening, I panicked… because I didn’t want to mess anything up between you and Aidan… especially over a kiss that didn’t really mean anything… you know… just a kiss between… best friends.”

“Oh.” He thought he saw a flash of pain in her eyes, but it was so fast he couldn’t tell if it was real. Her expression remained neutral as she nodded in understanding, turning her hand up to squeeze his. “Well… that… that’s good. I mean it would be pretty awkward if it meant something to you, when obviously… my heart is with… Aidan…”

“Exactly… who needs that, right?” He laughed nervously.

“So, you’re saying it meant nothing to you. Nothing at all.”

“Yep… just a friend kiss.”

Riley stood up. “Prove it.”

He froze in place. “Wh-what?”

“I still feel like you’re not telling me everything. You said it doesn’t mean anything, so prove it. Right now.”

“But what about Aid—”

“He shouldn’t be worried about something that doesn’t mean anything, right?”

He swallowed hard. His nerves were tingling everywhere as he stood up next to her, pulling her close to him. His hand tenderly cupped the bottom of her chin as he drew her face up to meet his. Slowly, gently, his lips met hers, brushing softly against each other before pressing deeper for a short, fervent kiss.

As they parted, she slowly lifted her eyes up to meet his. “So?” she whispered.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, biting back the heated passion coursing through his veins. “Best friends,” he responded simply. “Nothing more.”

“Yeah,” she replied with a stoic expression. “So we’re agreed.”

“I should get back to my room,” he said, forcing himself to keep his composure. “I just wanted to come here and clear things up… I really shouldn’t have done all that. I’m sorry, Riley.”

She hugged him. “Water under the bridge, Maxwell. You know I can never stay mad at you.”

“Because I’m just that awesome?”

“No…” She poked him teasingly. “ _We’re_ awesome.”

“Yesssss! Best friends for _ever_!” He lifted his hand for a high-five.

She returned it with a smile, then walked with him to the door. “Good night, Maxwell.”

“Good night, Riley.” The door shut behind him.

Seconds later, both of them leaned their backs against their side of the closed door, sighing longingly as they each brought up a hand to trace along their lips, feeling the lingering electricity left behind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_A couple weeks later…_

Riley woke up from a refreshing nap, stretching her arms out and yawning, as she found herself in a limo with Bertrand and Maxwell on the way to the Cordonian countryside. “I hate to be cliché, but… are we there yet?”

“Almost, Riley.” Maxwell was bouncing excitedly in his seat. “Believe me, I’m as excited as you to get out of this car… especially since we’re going to Applewood!”

“Is that really the name of the royal family’s country manor? Everything in Cordonia has been so grand, but that’s… quaint!”

“It’s decidedly appropriate. Applewood Manor borders the largest apple orchard in the entire kingdom, and that’s where they first cultivated the apple varietal Cordonia is most famous for…” Bertrand paused, waiting for her response.

“Oh, right. This famous apple is called…” She smiled good-humoredly. “ _The Killer Kenna Crisp_.”

Maxwell laughed. “Unfortunately not, but that would’ve been _way_ more awesome!”

“No.” Bertrand glared at both of them. “Our fair kingdom is known for the…”

“I know, I know… _the Cordonian Ruby_.”

“Oh good, so you _have_ been paying attention. The Cordonian Ruby is a red varietal that’s pleasantly crisp with an intense flavor that has notes of honeyed caramel.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. “You know… that’s probably the most poetic thing you’ve ever said.”

“I can be poetic when I want to.” He scowled. “Certain subjects _do_ call for it.”

“Like apples, obviously.”

“Precisely. Now, let us review your role this weekend in earnest…”

“ _In earnest_? You make it sound like I need to step up my game…”

“Oh, you _do._ Since the King’s announced his retirement, _everything_ has changed…”

“I guess the announcement was pretty serious, huh? I saw King Constantine talking to Aidan about it at the beach party…”

“Really?” The giant caterpillar on his face rose up. “What do you know about it?”

“Well, I know that the Prince wasn’t expecting the announcement.”

“Hmmm, _interesting_ … Anything else? Has he talked to you since?”

She frowned slightly, looking a little worried. “No, I haven’t seen him around much lately…”

Maxwell patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Hey… he’s probably busy with preparations for the Coronation…”

“That’s precisely the reason we need to make a more concerted effort. We’re no longer playing for the title of princess. If Riley marries him, she _will_ be queen. The stakes are higher than ever. We must succeed.”

Riley met Bertrand’s eyes, feeling a little annoyed. “You know I actually care about the Prince, right? We have a relationship. If he chooses me, it’ll be because he cares for me, and I care for him.”

“That’s good. Use that,” he droned on. “Let your sentimental heart fuel your competitive spirit.”

“Bertrand…” A note of warning sounded in her voice.

His frown disappeared, but he was still not smiling either. “I’m merely preparing you. The other ladies are only going to get more competitive, and if you do care about him, then you’ll get serious.”

“Well, that I can agree to…” she said, nodding slowly, a look of determination slowly forming on her face. “Don’t worry, Bertrand, I’m going to win the crown for the House Beaumont or die trying. I won’t let anyone else get in my way.”

“Excellent.” His steely gray eyes studied her for a moment. “Maybe Maxwell _did_ pick the right woman for the job after all…”

Her eyes shot up in surprise. “I think that’s the first nice thing you’ve said about me, Bertrand!”

He waved his hand in dismissal. “Yes, yes, write it down so you can look at it fondly and remember it later… Now, the other ladies are only going to get more competitive, so you need to be ready. We’re running out of time after all. There’s only about a month and a half left before the Coronation Ball at the end of the season.”

“So soon?”

“Time flies when you’re jet-setting around Cordonia,” Maxwell said.

“So what do I need to do? What are my directives for the day?”

“No time to play coy. Spend as much time with Aidan as possible,” Bertrand said. “But if you can’t do that, try not to get into trouble. According to my reports, you, Duchess Olivia, and Countess Madeleine are the frontrunners…”

“But Aidan and I have a special connection.”

“His Royal Highness isn’t the only one who matters. Olivia and Madeleine may not be foremost in the Prince’s heart, but they are popular with other royals, the nobles, and the public. They’re both going to try to undermine you.”

“Olivia’s been trying since the beginning, but I’ve stood my ground. I don’t know that much about Madeleine.”

“Her mother is Cordonian nobility, which is where she gets her title of Countess, and she’s practically royalty on her father’s side as well. Her family is powerful, and she’s grown up immersed in the intrigues and maneuverings of courtly life. Don’t underestimate her. She’s used to winning. Anyway, you won’t be able to avoid either lady in public, but try your best to keep your cool and be diplomatic, especially when the press is around. You’ve done remarkably well so far, but there’s still room to fail.”

Riley nodded as the limo made a turn and began to slow down. “We’re here!” Maxwell called out enthusiastically.

Exiting the limo, she stepped onto the sprawling estate of Applewood Manor. A large stone manor stood elegantly amidst manicured gardens, and beyond it, vibrant fields of grass and trees stretched out before her. “Beautiful…” she said, staring in awe of her surroundings. “I can get used to this.”

“This is Applewood. It’s where we’ll be staying for the next few weeks…” Maxwell grabbed her bags from the limo and walked with her down the long packed-dirt driveway leading to the manor.

“Now we should settle in quickly,” Bertrand said as he walked behind them. “The Apple Blossom Festival will last today and tomorrow, and the first kick-off event is starting this afternoon…”

“What kind of apple-themed activities are we talking about?” Riley asked, looking between them.

“Delicious ones.” Maxwell grinned. “Apple-picking… apple-pie-baking… apple-tree-planting…”

“I think I get the idea,” she laughed.

“We Cordonians take our traditions very seriously. Be sure to show enthusiasm for all the events. That starts with finding something suitable to wear…” Bertrand eyed her casual attire. “Nothing too flashy. Just something that says you’re relatable and quaint…”

“I’ve got this…” Riley took a detour to the manor’s boutique, searching through the racks until she had found the perfect look she had had in mind. She was soon admiring herself in an off-the-shoulder white ruffled dress with a simple floral design on the skirt. “If this doesn’t say ‘a day in the countryside,’ I don’t know what does…” she said to herself as she turned to leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the apple orchards, she was escorted past a crowd of people eagerly awaiting the beginning of the Apple Blossom Festival. All the ladies vying for Aidan’s hand stood in a loose semicircle under the shade of a large apple tree. She joined them, squeezing into the only empty space between Olivia and Madeleine.

Olivia scrunched her nose up in disgust. “Shouldn’t you be in the back somewhere with Drake and the other commoners?”

“Shhh…” Madeleine hissed. “It’s starting.”

Everyone’s attention went to the King and Queen standing in the center, proudly smiling near several wicker baskets full of brilliant red apples. The press thronged around the suitors, quieting as the King raised his arms. “Welcome to the annual Apple Blossom Festival!” King Constantine announced, smiling as Queen Regina stepped toward one of the apple baskets.

“As is tradition, myself and several ladies of the court will sample the apples of the first picking of the season!” Queen Regina said, gesturing to the baskets.

The apples were distributed to the suitors, and Riley took hers, cupping it in her hands and marveling at its appearance. “It’s so red… It really _is_ like a ruby.”

“Looks delicious,” Hana added.

Olivia smiled cunningly. “Oh, it is… I can’t _wait_ for you both to try it…”

Madeleine looked at Olivia with a similar smirk. “You know, I actually look forward to this every year…”

Queen Regina waved her hand. “Ladies, if you will… Please try your apples.”

Donnie Brine edged himself closer with a cameraman. “Make sure you look over here! We’d love some reaction shots…”

“And a shot of that ensemble, Lady Riley…” Ana admired Riley’s chosen outfit. “Ruffles are on trend for this summer’s lineup! It’s perfect!”

“Thanks!” Riley said, smiling politely as the ladies began to taste their apples.

“Oh!” Hana’s face immediately changed into a look of surprise.

“ _Delicious_.” Olivia grinned smugly.

“As refreshing as a summer breeze.” Madeleine beamed confidently.

Riley glanced at them and proceeded to take a big bite of her apple, only to have her mouth fill with a sharp, nauseating mix of bitter and sour tastes. Fighting back a grimace, she swallowed the apple and put a smile on her face as the cameras clicked. “That was… _tasty_.”

“It looks like you enjoyed the Cordonian Ruby, Lady Riley?” Donnie asked, eagerly moving the microphone closer for her answer.

“It certainly has character.”

“I wasn’t expecting such a sour taste!” Hana exclaimed.

“The first crop of the season always has a particular _bite_ to it. I rather like the taste personally,” Madeleine said.

Olivia sneered at her. “You _would._ ”

The King cleared his throat, calling everyone to attention. “It looks like our ladies enjoyed their apples. I’d like to extend a special thanks to our apple growers and farmers for preserving our noble tradition…”

“And with that… Happy Apple Blossom Festival!” Queen Regina smiled.

The crowd cheered, and people started dispersing into the orchard to pick apples. Riley was about to join them, but the reporters rushed forward, trapping her with Olivia and Madeleine.

“Would it be alright with you ladies if I asked a few questions?” Donnie asked.

“Of course! Fydelia has always generously supported the CBC. I look forward to your _favorable_ report,” Madeleine answered.

Olivia, not to be outdone, stepped in. “And _I_ haven’t forgotten the amazing article about the Nevrakis family history in _Trend_ several years back…”

Ana nodded courteously. “Your family has always been as fashionable as it is noble.”

Riley looked between all of them. “Well, Mr. Brine, Ms. De Luca, I don’t have a history with the CBC or _Trend_ … but I can promise you a compelling story. The Prince and I are close. I’ve seen a side of him that he doesn’t often show in public. Wouldn’t you want to hear about that?”

Ana’s face lit up with interest. “ _Trend_ would be interested in Lady Riley’s insights as someone on the inside.”

“Thank you.”

“Lady Riley makes an excellent point, and I’d like to remind everyone that we all have a relationship with the Prince that could provide a unique spin,” Madeleine broke in.

“Yes, I’ve been Aidan’s friend since childhood,” Olivia added.

“And I myself am close to the Prince and have the pleasure of calling the Queen my friend. Now, any other questions?”

“Just one last one…” Donnie said, holding his microphone nearest to Riley. “You’ve been at court enjoying all the events the social season has to offer, competing for the Prince’s attention. At this stage, who do _you_ think the Prince will choose?”

“The Prince will choose whoever will make the best queen. The Prince is loyal and dedicated. He’ll do what’s best for his country and people.”

“But you’re still wishing it’ll be you?” Ana asked.

“With everything in me.” Riley smiled. “But I know Prince Aidan will do what’s right, and I’m trying to be worthy of being his choice.”

“Can I quote you on that?”

“Of course.”

“Very well-put, Lady Riley.” Madeleine nodded her approval.

Riley looked at her in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes. I know _I_ find the Prince’s devotion to cause and country inspiring.”

“As do we all, Lady Madeleine,” Ana said. “That’s it for questions.”

“Thank you, ladies…” Donnie grinned. “Especially you, Lady Riley. Your answers were quite interesting.”

“You’re welcome.”

The reporters walked off. Olivia glared at her, while Madeleine considered her thoughtfully. “That was… informative. Lady Riley, you answered with such grace and poise.”

“Oh. Thank you…” Riley said, still feeling suspicious of the woman’s motives.

“It was rather enviable. I only hope you can keep it up without any _mishaps_. Some women can’t handle the pressure.”

Riley smiled politely. “ _I_ can.”

Olivia huffed. “As can I. If either of you think you’ve won, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Madeleine giggled condescendingly. “Oh, Olivia, dear… I think we all know where we stand. May the best woman win.”

She watched as Madeleine walked off. Olivia shook her head and stalked in the opposite direction. Riley found Maxwell and Bertrand on the sidelines. “You did well up there with the press,” Bertrand praised. “Madeleine didn’t shake you.”

“Yeah, but I’m beginning to see what you mean.” Riley frowned slightly. “She spun everything positively for herself…”

“Still, this gives me hope.”

Riley glared at him. “Also, thanks for _not_ giving me a heads-up about the apple! You said it’d taste like caramel!”

“I said it had an ‘intense flavor’! Besides, if you can’t handle something as simple as a sour apple, I shudder to think how you’ll crumble when presented with a _real_ challenge!”

_The Cordonian Ruby is a red varietal that’s pleasantly crisp with an intense flavor that has notes of honeyed caramel._ His earlier words repeated to her. Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes and shook her head. “Whatever. So what happens now?”

“Right now, I suggest you two go down this path and enjoy a stroll through the royal gardens… I have it on good authority that the Prince is there now. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Maxwell took her arm. “Come on, Riley, I’ll show you where to go!”

She and Maxwell headed towards the gardens when they heard Bertrand’s voice sounding agitated. Riley turned around and saw Bertrand across the path, standing with a familiar figure. “Hold on, Maxwell. Is that Bertrand talking to the reporter from _Trend_?”

Bertrand scowled. “Ana, you’re being unreasonable.”

Ana glared at him, not backing down. “Not the way I see it.”

Riley’s eyes widened as Bertrand turned angrily, storming off. “Looks like something’s up,” she whispered to Maxwell. “Any idea what’s going on?”

“Not really.” Maxwell frowned. “Bertrand doesn’t let me get involved with House Beaumont stuff. He thinks I’d screw it up.”

“That’s not fair, Maxwell!”

He sighed, not meeting her eyes. “I kind of see his point. I _am_ kind of a screw-up…”

“Hey. Look at me.” She touched his shoulder as he met her gaze. “Don’t let Bertrand get to you. You’re as much a member of House Beaumont as he is!”

“It _does_ look like things didn’t go well with her…” He looked over toward Ana, who still had not left the area. “Maybe I could help…” He paused, looking back at Riley. “But wait, I don’t want to distract you. We’re supposed to be going to find the Prince.”

“I think we should take this opportunity to talk to Ana first.”

He stared over at her again, unsure. “You really think we should do it?”

“He’s your brother. I know you want to help him if we can.”

Relief appeared on his face. “Thanks for coming with me, Riley. I hate awkward situations.”

As she and Maxwell approached the reporter, she turned to them. “Lord Beaumont. Pleasure to see you again,” Ana said smoothly, before turning towards Riley. “And Lady Riley, what a surprise. Did you want to add to your earlier comments?”

“Yes, Ms. De Luca… I guess you’re already familiar with my friend, Maxwell?” She looked inquiringly between the two.

Ana glanced over at Maxwell, who shifted uncomfortably. “We’ve had some… discussions. Now what can I do for you?”

“We wanted to see if you’d be willing to share some information with us.”

“Straight to the point. I like that. First off, if we’re talking off the record, just call me Ana.”

“Okay, Ana…” Riley took a seat on the bench with her next to the fountain. “So, how do you know Bertrand?”

“Before I covered Cordonian courtly news for _Trend_ , I was a fashion designer. At one point, House Beaumont was _the_ house to impress if you wanted to go to the most exclusive functions or be seen with the right people. And I was one of those people. The famous, rich, and fabulous all flocked to Bertrand.”

“Yeah… those were the days…” Maxwell’s eyes grew sad.

“But all of that changed a few years ago…”

“So, is that what you and Bertrand were arguing about?”

“Bertrand’s always been _very_ concerned with how the world sees him and his house. Let’s just say that my view of what’s currently going on didn’t exactly match with the image he wants the world to see. You’d have to be blind to not notice the decline in House Beaumont.”

Maxwell looked at Riley. “In other words, she’s very much aware that we’re broke.”

Ana’s eyes fell on him and a slight smile curved her lips. “Not to put too fine a point on it, but yes. What happens to the Beaumont House _is_ Cordonian news.”

“We’re not really that important,” he protested weakly.

“Bertrand _made_ House Beaumont important. He catapulted your family name into the spotlight. Good or bad, Cordonia wants to know what’s happening with you. I happen to think that they deserve the truth. But Bertrand doesn’t see it that way. He was furious.”

“Well, I’m not sure Bertrand knows how to smile, even on a good day,” Riley quipped.

Ana chuckled. “Heh. You should’ve seen him back in the day.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Bertrand was the life of the party… and it was usually _his_ party. I don’t think there was a day of the week when he didn’t have some sort of social engagement worthy of royalty.”

Maxwell looked at her anxiously. “Well… so… are you going to run a story about my brother?”

A calculating smile spread across her face. “…Yes.”

His face fell. “Bertrand would be devastated.”

“Think you could spare him?” Riley asked.

Ana frowned. “Look, I don’t appreciate Bertrand’s way of going about things. If he thinks he can intimidate me, he’s got another thing coming!”

“But we’re not trying to intimidate you. We’re practically begging you!” Maxwell’s eyes pleaded with her.

“True…”

“Please, it would ruin our house’s reputation.”

Ana shook her head, waving a hand dismissively. “Nonsense. People love a good riches-to-rags story even more than a rags-to-riches one. If anything, it would make the people love you.”

“Actually…” Riley looked sympathetically at Maxwell before turning back to Ana. “…people would mock them.”

“No one likes to kick a man when he’s down,” Ana argued.

“I wish I could believe that, but I’ve known a lot of jerks in my life, and I think that’s exactly the kind of thing they’d do.”

“If not the people of Cordonia, then the nobles in the rest of the world,” Maxwell implored.

“Well… perhaps…” Ana exhaled in frustration. “Okay, fine, you’ve made your point. I’ll delay my story to the end of the social season.”

Maxwell breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you!”

“However… in return for delaying this story— _again_ , mind you—I would like to have more exclusive access.” She looked pointedly at Maxwell, smiling shrewdly. “The one you gave me a few months ago was gold. Now that you may have the resources to provide me with exclusives on _other_ particular public interests…” Her eyes flitted to Riley and back to him as she trailed off in her words, letting them sink in.

He drew in his breath sharply. “I’ll… see what I can do, Ana…”

“Good.” She looked at her watch. “Now, I really must be going. It was… interesting talking to you two.” She took her leave down the path, disappearing from their view.

Riley turned to Maxwell. “What was _that_ all about?”

He grimaced. “Let’s just say I made a deal with the devil before… and now she’s asking for more.”

“Well… what happened?”

He looked at her self-consciously. “I’ll… we can talk about that later. I promise.” He looked over to where Ana had disappeared and then back to Riley. “Thanks for coming with me to talk to her. I’m really glad we did.”

Riley looked off into the distance. “It’s always strange to hear people talk about the way things used to be.” She looked back at him. “Was Bertrand really so different?”

“Oh, you have no idea… Let me tell you about the New Year’s Eve party he threw six years ago.”

~*~*~*~*~ _Flashback_ ~*~*~*~*~

_Six years ago… New Year’s Eve…_

_The crowd of guests had gathered at the grand staircase for a toast at midnight. Bertrand called out loudly, “More champagne! You can’t have a toast without champagne!”_

_“Hold on a sec… I saw something cool on the internet. Give me that bottle.” Maxwell took the bottle of champagne out of Bertrand’s hands and grabbed a sword off the wall._

_Bertrand gasped. “Maxwell, that sword is over one hundred years old!”_

_“It is?” He stared down at the weapon in his hands._

_“And so is that champagne!” A mischievous grin broke out on his brother’s face. “Neither’s getting any younger, so let’s have at it!”_

_“Hear, hear!” Olivia raised her glass._

_“Let’s have it!” Savannah cheered._

_“Yeah, don’t make us wait all day,” Drake said impatiently._

_Aidan looked at him with wide eyes. “Be careful!”_

_In one smooth swing, Maxwell lobbed the top of the champagne bottle off! It sparkled and bubbled as the crowd applauded._

_“Oooh!” Savannah clapped her hands._

_“Expert swing!” Aidan commended._

_“Here’s to the party of the century!” Maxwell cheered._

_“No…” Bertrand raised an eyebrow._

_“No?” He looked at him in surprise._

_“We toast to my brother, who makes any party he’s at the party of the century!”_

_“Wooo hooo! Come on, everyone!”_

_“Yeah, yeah. Woo hoo.” Drake rolled his eyes._

_“Come on, Drake. I dragged you out for a night of fun. Show a little enthusiasm! Yaaaaay!” Savannah raised her arms, cheering loudly._

_“Come now, we need a proper New Year’s Eve toast from the hosts.”_

_“Quite right you are, Olivia.,” Bertrand agreed. “Maxwell, would you join me in doing the honors?”_

_Maxwell and Bertrand stepped up on the stairs, arm and arm. “Friends, nobles…” Maxwell began._

_“Courtly guests, members of the elite…” Bertrand followed._

_“And whoever else managed to sneak in here tonight… Let me begin by saying, I honestly don’t know most of you.” The crowd laughed. “But I’d like to think a few bottles of top-notch champagne can change all of that.”_

_“And I think we’ve got more than enough here to make sure we’re all fast friends by the time the sun rises!”_

_“Indeed! Because any party that Bertrand hosts is sure to be an epic night to remember!” He grinned as Bertrand scoffed modestly. “Were any of you here for the one with all the llamas? Because that was_ crazy _…”_

_“Llamas?” Confusion entered Savannah’s face._

_“Even that night will be nothing compared to_ tonight _!” Bertrand said. “After all, what’s the point of having another party if you can’t make it even bigger and better than the last?”_

_The crowd cheered loudly. As the noise died down, the clock began to strike midnight. “Hurry it up!” Olivia called out impatiently._

_“It’s the new year!” Savannah shouted._

_“In conclusion, cheers to The Brothers Beaumont and to everything staying exactly the same as it is now!” Maxwell raised his glass as Bertrand slung an arm over his shoulders._

_“I’ll drink to that. Cheers!” Bertrand took a large swig of champagne, as everyone followed up with a callout of_ Cheers! _before sipping their own drink._

_Maxwell smiled happily. “Cheers! And…_ Happy New Year _!”_

~*~*~*~*~ _End Flashback_ ~*~*~*~*~

Back in the present day, Riley watched as the smile faded from Maxwell’s face. “…And that’s how things were,” he said wistfully.

“Wow…” She shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe Bertrand was actually like that.”

“Yeah… but enough about that…” He grabbed her arm, pulling her in the direction of the gardens. “We’ve got to get you to your prince!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A little while later, the two of them arrived at the gardens. Everyone from court was strolling among the beautiful flower beds. Riley looked around, trying to spot any familiar faces. “Where’s Aidan? I don’t see him… He’s been a little off since the Regatta…”

“Well, Bertrand said he was here… I’ll look around.” Maxwell squeezed her arm affectionately and then wandered off to search.

As she wandered further down the path, she noticed an ‘Exhibit Closed’ sign on the gazebo nearby. “Hmmm…” She snuck under the ropes, wandering into the gazebo and there, she found Aidan looking contemplatively at a still pond of golden fish. “Aidan?”

Aidan looked up, surprised to see her there. “Riley! I…”

“Is something wrong?”

“No. It’s just…” He composed himself. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”

“Aidan…” She closed the distance between them, putting a hand on his arm. “I can tell something’s bothering you. What is it?”

He looked down at her, a question in his eyes as he placed his hand over hers. “Riley, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Do you… do you think you can handle being queen of Cordonia? Truly?”

“Can I handle it?” She put on her most regal expression. “I was born queen. Where do I pick up my crown?”

Aidan chuckled, shaking his head. “Only you could make me smile at a time like this.” When he looked down at her again, she could see the sparkle in his eyes slowly returning.

“I know I haven’t spent as much time at court as some of the other ladies, but I’d like to think I could do a good job…”

“That’s… good.”

“Is that what’s been on your mind recently?”

“That’s part of it. But as for the rest… I…” He sighed softly, squeezing her hand. “It’s not something I can talk about. With anyone. But trust me, if I could… You’d be the one I’d want to tell.”

“Aidan…” She moved in to hug him, and he leaned into her, embracing her tightly. She could almost feel the weight of whatever was bothering him pushing him down against her.

“Honestly, I’ll be fine,” he murmured against her reassuringly before stepping back. “Anyway, it’s just boring royal business. Not worth troubling you about in any case.”

And if it really was just boring royal business, she knew very well he would not look as drained as he did, though he did a very good job at masking it. She sighed, smiling as she took his arm. “Well, then, maybe I can join you in the gardens.”

“Of course…” They walked away from the gazebo and wound their way through the flowers. “I’ve always loved the view here.”

“It’s magical. I’ve never seen so many apple blossoms.”

“The festival is a special time of year for this garden. I could stay here all day, but…”

“But?”

“I have plans to meet Drake.”

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

“You’re welcome to come with me. He’d probably be happy to see you. He sort of dreads this day every year.”

“He hates apples?”

He chuckled. “Not quite. Today is Drake’s birthday.”

“Today’s Drake’s birthday? Figures he’d try to keep it a secret.”

“Hmm… yes, he’d actually probably be furious if he knew that I’d told you.” The small smile he had on his face did not reveal any regret in telling her.

“We’ve got to celebrate!”

“Drake isn’t really the type to celebrate. He usually spends the day hiding out in his room. Sometimes I’m able to convince him to have a drink with me… but that’s about as far as it goes.” He glanced ahead, noticing some figures coming into view. “Ah, there he is now…”

As they walked through the garden, Riley could see Drake, Hana, and Maxwell walking up to them. “Drake!” A big grin spread across her face.

Drake looked at her suspiciously. “Why do you look so happy to see me?” Then he looked at Aidan’s guilty smile. “Oh no… god no…”

“Yep. Happy birthday!”

“Aidan, _you told her?_ ”

“My _deepest_ apologies, Drake.” His eyes twinkled in amusement. “I forgot that it was such a closely guarded secret.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter, because this is the last we’re ever going to speak of it ever again.”

“You don’t want to do something fun on your birthday?” Hana looked at him with sad eyes. “Even _I_ was allowed petit fours and an hour playing with my father’s cat each year…”

Maxwell side-glanced him. “Man, Drake, even _Hana_ feels bad for you.”

Drake growled in annoyance. “I don’t need fun to enjoy myself. Besides, what could you jokers possibly want to do that would be fun for me?”

“Are all Americans as fussy as Drake is about birthdays, Riley?” Maxwell asked her.

“Drake’s an American?”

“Half. On my mother’s side.”

“That gives me an idea… Do you have any American Western-themed bars here in Cordonia?”

Maxwell’s hand immediately flew to his pocket. “Checking on my phone now…”

Riley turned to Drake. “How about that, Drake? Whiskey, mechanical bull riding, and some good ol’ American fun.”

“I guess it doesn’t sound _horrible_ … but I can’t ask you guys to sneak out for that.”

“Nonsense.” Aidan grinned, laughing as he earned a glare from Drake. “I’d love to.”

“I’d also like to understand more of Riley’s American culture!” Hana piped in.

“And I’ll take any excuse to drink and dance the night away!” Maxwell said, dancing in place as he searched through his phone before he held it up in triumph. “Plus, I just found the perfect place!”

“I don’t know…” Drake glanced at Riley hesitantly. “Do you really want to do this, Mason?”

“I almost think we _have_ to with that outfit she’s got on…” Hana said, pointing out her ensemble.

“I say… we’re goin’ out tonight!” Riley pumped her fist in the air.

“Yessss!” Maxwell fist-pumped with her.

“I must go prepare!” Hana said, starting back down the path.

“Yeah… something tells me this is going to be a night to remember,” Drake said, partly smiling as he walked with the rest of the group while they chattered about the evening plans.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell practically jumped through the doors of the western bar, announcing immediately, “The party has arrived!” A few random patrons looked up before resuming their conversations.

Hana looked confused. “Oh? Where?”

“It’s us, Hana. He means us,” Drake explained.

Maxwell clapped him on the shoulder. “Exactly, my good man. As in, _we’re_ the life of the party.”

Hana was still lost. “We… are?”

Maxwell gave her a one-armed hug, laughing at her affectionately. “Well. Some of us.”

“I can’t believe you actually talked me into this.” Drake stared warily at the surrounding atmosphere.

“First order of business…” Riley grabbed him by the arm, pulling him towards the bar. “We’ve got to get you a birthday drink!”

“I’ll buy the first round,” Aidan offered.

“On his _birthday?_ ” Riley looked floored. “Any bartender with a heart would give him a _free_ drink to start the night off, don’t you think?”

Drake looked at her in amusement. “Free drinks are something that happens when you’re a _woman_ , Mason. Even on my twenty-first birthday, I didn’t get so much as a free drop from anyone.”

“No? Well, let me see what I can do. Come on, Drake.” She pulled Drake over to the bar with her. “Hey, bartender, my friend here is celebrating his birthday today. Can we get a drink on the house?”

The bartender looked at Drake, thinking it over, and then nodded. Drake looked at Riley, dumbfounded. “It’s like everything I know is wrong.”

She smiled proudly. “Heh. Good of you to admit it.”

He snapped his fingers. “No, wait. I figured it out. _Of course_ , he’ll do it for you. No one says no to a hot girl.”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. _He_ definitely _just called me hot…_ “Drake… I told him it’s for you, maybe he thinks _you’re_ hot.”

“I have been told I’m quite a catch, but in my experience, guys don’t get free drinks.”

“Until today!”

“Yeah, yeah. So, what am I having?” The bartender placed a cocktail in front of him lit on fire. He raised an eyebrow and stared at Riley. “Really? You want me to drink _that_?”

“Yeah! If you’re not… afraid.”

“Why would I possibly be afraid of fire, the element that burns and inflicts pain…”

“You can blow it out first, I guess… if you want to take the easy way out.” She smirked as he glared at her defiantly and downed it in one shot. “See? You survived!”

“Not even singed.”

“Next drink’s on me.” She winked as she turned to the bartender, ordering a whiskey this time.

He grinned. “Okay. It’s really starting to feel like my birthday now.”

“What can I say, it’s your birthday. Everyone deserves to have at least _one_ day out of the year when people are nice to them… _sometimes_.”

He took a sip from the glass, savoring its spicy flavor. “A guy could get used to this.”

“There you two are!” Hana’s voice floated over to them.

“Prince Aidan just paid the guy operating the mechanical bull. He wants Drake to ride!” Maxwell grinned.

“Me? No way.”

“I figured you wouldn’t want to, but Aidan says you’re some kind of expert…”

Riley looked at Drake with an entertained smile. “Is that true?”

“There’s only one way you’d get to find out, and I’m not drunk enough to make a fool of myself yet.”

“Personally, I’d rather see Hana try…” Maxwell nudged her jokingly.

“Oh! I couldn’t. I wouldn’t even know where to begin!”

“Yeah, that’s why it’d be fun! Okay, tie-breaker vote… Riley! Hana or Drake?”

Riley smiled evilly. “Hmm… Drake? You’re the birthday boy, after all!”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. So you keep telling me.”

“Drake! Drake! Drake!” Maxwell chanted, bouncing up and down.

“Okay, okay! I’ll do it. Just… quiet down. You’re embarrassing me,” Drake said, getting up from the bar.

“That’s kind of the whole point…” Maxwell laughed.

Glaring at Maxwell, Drake slung a leg over the mechanical bull. “How do you start this thing?” Almost as soon as the words escaped his mouth, the bull began to buck and twist. Drake easily swiveled his hips and threw his hand back, keeping perfect balance. “Hah. Not even a challenge.” The bull began to buck faster. “Okay, that’s a little harder…”

“Come on, birthday boy!” Riley teased from the sidelines. “You can last longer than that!”

Shooting her a look, Drake gripped the bull tighter, even as it wildly bucked and pivoted. “Is that all you’ve got, bull?” As if his words incited anger into the damned thing, the bull turned in a complete circle and bucked hard a second later, throwing Drake off. He barreled straight into Riley and the two of them end up tangled on the floor. “Whoa! Sorry, Mason.”

“Heh. My own fault for making you do it,” she laughed, realizing a moment later that he had not moved. It seemed the rest of their friends took notice too. Hana was looking at her with wide eyes. Aidan was looking at the both of them very curiously. And Maxwell… well, at least he was smiling, but there was definitely a different look in his eyes as he stared intently at them. “Err… Drake?” She gave him a slight push.

He snapped out of it, immediately helping her up. The awkwardness in the air was immediately broken up a moment later as the band began to play a new song.

Maxwell’s eyes lit up. “We should hit the dance floor!”

“I don’t think you can waltz to this…” Hana frowned, listening to the beat of the music.

“Yeah, exactly the point. I mean, _really_ dance. Like, the fun kind of dancing!”

“The… fun… kind? What would that entail?”

“I could tell you, but it’s going to be a lot more fun to show you.” Maxwell headed to the dance floor, pulling her with him and taking her hands in his. “Here… just move to the music.”

“But… I don’t know the steps…” she protested.

“Nonsense!” he said, bouncing up and down. “There are no steps. Just make some up! Let the music _mooove_ you.” He began shimmying back and forth, bobbing his head to the beat.

Hana stared at him, intimidated. “I don’t think I know how to do that…”

“Start by relaxing. This is just for fun!”

“Right.” She nodded, quietly encouraging herself. “Fun… I can have fun…” Following his lead, she shimmied and spun on the dance floor.

“That’s it! You’re a natural!” He held his hand up for a high-five.

Hana smiled, returning his high-five. “Heh. Thanks, Maxwell.”

Stepping out onto the dance floor, Riley took Prince Aidan’s hand in hers. “Lady Riley…” he said, pulling her closer.

“We’re not at some courtly royal function. It’s just Riley right now.”

“Of course.”

Riley watched as his eyes glanced over at Drake for a moment, and she pressed herself against him as they danced, bringing his full attention back to her. “That’s better.” She smiled at the question in his eye. “You’re worried about nothing.”

His voice came out a whisper. “So Drake…”

“…Is just a friend. On my part anyway. I’ve been getting the feeling he might have a crush on me, but nothing’s going to come of it. I don’t feel that way for him.”

Relief washed over his face as he smiled down at her. “Good… I’m not quite ready to lose you yet…”

She swayed against him and noticed him blushing. “Aidan…” She gave him an impish smile. “What could you _possibly_ be thinking right now?”

He only blushed more as he shyly responded, “Ahem. Just how enjoyable it is to have you so close…”

“That’s funny. I was just thinking the same thing…”

Aidan smiled as he put a hand at her waist, happily holding her. “Even in a crowded country bar, it’s amazing how everyone else in the room seems to fall away when I look into your eyes…”

She smiled as his hand brushed against her cheek softly, just as a new song began playing. Hana walked up to the two of them. “Hi Aidan, would you mind being my dance partner for this one?”

“Of course, Lady Hana. Riley, I’ll see you for another round?” He kissed her hand.

“Count on it.” She looked around and danced her way over to Maxwell, who had cleared an area of the floor for himself.

He grinned when he saw her. “Well, well, back for a rematch, are we? Think you can keep up with me, Riley?”

She crossed her arms with a smug smile. “I was about to ask you the same question!”

“Ohhhh!” He glared at her mockingly. “It’s on!” Maxwell dropped to the ground and performed a series of breakdancing moves, ending in a pose with his legs straight in the air. Winking at her, he dropped down and stood back up. “Now let’s see what _you’ve_ got.”

She began performing her own series of breakdancing moves. In a surprising end move, she took Maxwell’s hand, spun herself into him and jumped into his arms.

He stared at her in surprise, not letting go. “You’re lucky I caught you…” he said quietly.

Riley returned his stare. “You seem like a man who knows how to improvise…”

Maxwell shook himself out of it, placing her back on the floor, the playful grin returning to his face. “Guilty as charged!” He high-fived her. “Well that was fun. I gotta talk to the DJ.” He ran off before she could say anything more to him.

As the night continued, everyone continued to dance. Maxwell placed a hand straight out in front of him while placing the other by his head. “And this, Hana, is ‘the sprinkler.’”

“Ooh, do you have sprinkles?”

“It’s… water. Just forget it.” He shook his head and kept dancing.

“Aidan, get in the middle of the circle and show us a move!” Riley called out.

Aidan blushed. “I couldn’t possibly.”

“Do it!”

“Aidan! Aidan! Aidan!” Maxwell chanted.

“Very well, if it’ll avoid causing a scene…” Aidan clapped and, backing up a few steps, ran forward and did a flip.

“Whoa!” Riley applauded as he bowed ceremoniously. “I didn’t know you had moves like that!”

“As part of my education, my parents had me take a few years of gymnastics. I’m afraid that’s more or less all I remember.”

“It’s enough.” Maxwell shot finger guns at him as he danced away from the group.

Riley headed over toward Drake, who was sitting at one of the tables near the edge of the dance floor observing everyone. “What, no dancing?”

He looked up at her. “I’m not really the kind of guy who dances.”

“Seriously? Just sway side to side, and you’re basically set.”

“Really? According to Maxwell, there’s a lot more to it than that…” Looking over, they watched Maxwell clearing more space on the dance floor.

“Make room, make room!” he called out. He then dropped down to his knees and did a series of breakdancing moves, ending with a gravity-defying pose.

Riley’s eyes widened. “That was… impressive!”

Drake shook his head. “Yeah, and if that’s dancing, I think I’ll leave that to Maxwell.”

As she watched, Maxwell shimmied over to a group of random girls. “Laaadies…” They all giggled as he pulled them on the floor with him, allowing them to dance around him.

Drake rolled his eyes. “Classic Maxwell. Can’t bring him to any club without a handful of women grabbing at him.”

“Jealous, Drake?”

He leaned back, eyeing her thoughtfully. “Temporary fun only gets you so far.”

She stayed silent as she watched the scene ahead of them. Maxwell was clearly enjoying himself as much as the ladies were.

“What’s going on over here?” Aidan came over to join them, wrapping an arm around Riley’s waist. He smiled down at her as she moved closer to him.

“I’m trying to figure out which one Maxwell ends up with tonight. Any bets?” Drake smirked.

“Drake!” Riley’s mouth dropped. She looked up at Aidan, who was already looking at the dancing group, considering the options. “Aidan, are you serious?”

Aidan chuckled. “It’s all in good fun, Riley. You haven’t been around us long, but do trust me when I say this has been the norm for years with us.” He looked back at the group, then down to Drake. “Red dress.”

“I don’t know. He was getting real cozy with Blue Eyes for a while there.”

She glared at them both. “I hope he proves you both wrong and leaves with none of them. It would serve you right.”

“Interesting… Riley’s joining the bet.” Drake chuckled. “Poor choice though, considering…”

“Well…” Aidan had a thoughtful look on his face. “She could have a point. With the competition, there hasn’t been much time for unwinding at a club…”

“All the more reason the odds go up… I don’t think he’s been out with anyone since New York.”

Riley looked between them, unable to believe what she was hearing. Were they _really_ discussing the probability of him taking a random hook-up? On Drake’s birthday, no less? Did his friends really not think that much of him? Was he really written off so easily? Or was her attraction to him creating a bias and she wasn’t seeing the signs in front of her? Her mind flashed back to that unanswered night in Lythikos. Whatever had happened or didn’t happen, there was not a glimmer of pride in his eyes that night. He had been ashamed, expecting judgment, feeling less than human.

Anger started to set in her eyes and she pulled away from Aidan, turning on the both of them. “I stand by what I said. He leaves with none of them tonight. You boys like betting for pushups? I’m setting the stakes at one hundred.” She watched as their eyes widened in surprise. “Still confident in your choices?”

“I’m out. I’m not betting against her,” Aidan said, putting his hands up in defeat.

“Coward.” Drake rolled his eyes and stared at her. “You’re on, Mason.”

She patted his shoulder patronizingly. “Don’t worry, Drake. I promise I won’t collect on your birthday.” She started heading toward the group.

“Where do you think you’re going, Mason?”

She turned. “I’m going to dance with Maxwell.”

“No, get back here and observe with the rest of us.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t recall this bet coming with any ground rules.” She threw up her hands with mock sympathy. “Your loss, Drake.” She continued on her way while Drake put his head in his hands and Aidan stood by, chuckling at his expense.

Maxwell’s eyes lit up as soon as Riley arrived, and he smiled at the ladies around him. “All right, ladies, it’s been fun, but I’ve got a dance date with my bestie now!” He politely waved them off as they all left with pouting faces, and then he turned to her. “Saving the last dance for me, Riley? You shouldn’t have!” He grabbed her hands and spun her around.

Riley laughed. “Wow, you’re in a good mood tonight.”

“How can I not be? Drinking, dancing, and spending time with my best friend in the whole world!” He froze for a moment as the last song of the night began playing. It was a slow song. He cleared his throat quietly and looked at her. “Do… do you want to dance with Aidan instead since…”

“I came over here to dance with _you_ , Maxwell.” She placed her arms around his neck. “Unless… you don’t want to, since it’s a slow song?”

“No, no… I’ll dance to anything… just wanted to make sure, you know…” His eyes met hers as he placed his hands at her waist, drawing her closer to him. The familiar scent of her cherry blossom perfume was a welcome pleasure to his senses as the notes to the country ballad crooned softly in the background.

_Moonlight on canvas, midnight and wine  
Two shadows starting to softly combine  
The picture they’re painting  
Is one of the heart  
And to those who have seen it  
It’s a true work of art_

_Oh, the red strokes  
Passions uncaged  
Thundering moments of tenderness rage  
Oh, the red strokes  
Tempered and strong  
Burning the night like the dawn…  
_ **_(Garth Brooks – “The Red Strokes”)_ **

“By the way, thank you,” he said quietly against her ear as they swayed to the music.

“For what?”

“For rescuing me. I kept trying to make a polite exit once the first song was over, but they kept me surrounded.” He laughed softly. “A while ago, that wouldn’t have been a big deal, but lately… it’s different…”

“Why is it different?”

“I mean… I don’t want to make you look bad… being part of the house that represents you and all…”

“I don’t care what people think. You know I’m in your corner, no matter what.”

“And I don’t want to mess that up. You’re always so good to me, Riley. And if I have to make a few sacrifices to help you succeed, I’m up for it.”

“You shouldn’t have to sacrifice anything for me, Maxwell. I like who you are.” She tilted her head, gazing up at him.

“Well… some things are worth sacrificing for.” He met her gaze intensely for a moment before focusing on the floor below.

_Steam on the window, salt in a kiss  
Two hearts have never pounded like this…_

As the last words of the song played and the last of the notes lingered, he took her hand and gently kissed it. “Thanks for the dance, bestie.” He smiled down at her.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him. “Always.” She walked with him off the dance floor as their group gathered to leave.

“We shut this place _down!_ ” Maxwell high-fived everyone.

“What did you think, Hana?” Riley asked.

“This was scary… but a fun kind of scary?”

“You’ll learn to love going out!” Maxwell said, patting her shoulder. “Just wait until next time.”

“ _Next_ time?”

“I hope there’s a next time…” Aidan said with a hopeful smile. “…as long as we can find another way to sneak out.”

“We’ll make it happen!” Riley promised. As everyone headed to the door, she noticed Drake hanging back at the bar and walked over to him. “Aw, come on. I told you I wouldn’t make you pay up tonight.” She nudged him playfully, grinning as he shook his head at her. She sat down at the bar stool next to him. “Not ready for your birthday to be over?”

“Heh. Maybe. You know, to tell you the truth, I always dreaded my birthday when I was a kid. My parents tried hard, really hard, to give me the best birthday they could. But I kind of always knew that no matter what they did, Prince Aidan’s parents were going to top it. My parents got me a toy T-rex? Aidan’s parents got the entire palace staff to dress up like dinosaurs for _his_ birthday. My parents got me a cake shaped like a car? Aidan’s parents got him a cake the _size_ of a car.”

“Wow, you must’ve hated Aidan’s guts.”

“Heh, it was tempting… but you know how Aidan is. In all honesty, he’s the nicest guy I’ve ever met. If anyone can pull off extravagant wealth without being obnoxious, it’s him. So these over-the-top birthday parties never got under my skin.”

“Still… that must’ve been hard.”

“I mean, sure, it wasn’t _easy_ , but I knew we were lucky to live at the palace and even be _invited_ to Aidan’s birthdays. So I didn’t really care about that stuff. Never saw these birthday parties as a competition. But they were hell on my parents. They knew they could never even come close to what my best friend was getting… and that killed them. So around when I was nine or ten, I made a decision to stop trying. No more birthday parties, no more cakes, no more presents… all I wanted was to spend the day with my family doing something fun. My parents loved it. Made them feel like they could really give me something special.”

Riley smiled, putting a hand to her heart. “Aww…”

Drake rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Yeah, yeah. I know. I’m a total marshmallow. Just don’t tell anyone else.”

“No promises… but…”

“But?”

Riley frowned thoughtfully. “Drake, I hope I didn’t get in the way of any family traditions tonight.”

He shook his head, waving his hand. “Nah. My family’s not here anymore, so I wasn’t really expecting to do anything tonight. Anyway, tonight has actually been… well, it’s really been _fun_. And if I’m being honest with myself, it’s felt a lot more like those special birthdays with my family than I thought it could…”

A small smile crossed her face. “Are you saying… I’m _family_ now?”

He stared at her for one long moment, then looked away. “…Not exactly. But… maybe we _are_ friends…”

Riley’s mouth opened wide in surprise. “We’re… _friends_ now?” The expression then transitioned to delight. “Yay! We finally made progress!” She laughed as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Don’t make me regret saying that, Mason.”

She giggled. “Well… I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“Yeah… I’m glad you dragged me out.” He clapped her on the shoulder affectionately. “Anyway, we should call it a night.”

“Yeah…” She reached over and grabbed Drake into a tight hug. “I’m here for you… anytime.”

“Mason!” Drake looked at her in surprise.

“Yes?”

He slowly returned her hug. “…Thanks.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“This way…” Maxwell led Riley through a series of twists and turns, trying to find the location he had in mind.

“I can’t believe even this place has a hedge maze,” she marveled as she followed him down the odd paths.

“They’re fun to have at these properties, that’s for sure! Ohhhh wait, I think this is it!” He turned the corner and they found themselves in an open area with a sizable pond, bordered by a couple ornate benches and decorative fairy gardens. The moonlight reflected off the clear water, which showed smooth rocks below.

“It’s beautiful!”

He smiled and led her over to one of the benches. They admired the view for several moments before he looked at her and took a deep breath. “Well… no sense beating around the bush…” He waved his hand at the hedges. “Bush… hedge… whatever…”

She looked at him questioningly. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well… I told you I would talk to you about that whole thing with Ana earlier. Just thought I’d let you know what she was up to…” He exhaled slowly. “Before we met, Riley, I’ve had this… _reputation_ for a long time. I guess most would say I’m more of a… well, a…”

“…Playboy?”

“That’s one word for it, I guess. Ladies man, heartbreaker, womanizer, one-night stander… I can keep going.” He made a face. “It’s all kind of embarrassing now when I talk with you about it…” He looked over at her. “So… you’ve already heard about that part, I guess?

“Heard, possibly saw…” She shrugged. “Don’t really care. I care about you, not the reputation. I’m still your friend, no matter what.”

His face lit up in relief. “That… actually makes me feel way better now.”

“Good.” She patted his knee. “So… you have a reputation. What’s that got to do with Ana?”

“Well, you know how she was about to run the story about our house being broke?”

“Yeah.”

“She was going to run that story almost a few months ago now. When I found out, I pleaded with her not to run the story then too. She agreed to put it off, but only if I gave her something in return.”

“Somehow I have the feeling I already know what it is…”

“You saw the article?”

“Just the cover. Never read the article.”

“Then I’m only half-embarrassed by it…” He laughed softly. “Anyway, because of my reputation’s increasing popularity with the nobles, local celebrities, and general public, she pretty much demanded that I give her an exclusive interview. In return, she would save my brother the embarrassment of revealing the truth about our house’s financial status.”

“That’s awful, Maxwell.” She frowned.

“Oh yeah… Bertrand was _incensed_ once that article came out. He really lit into me over it. Said I humiliated the house, that we were supposed to be the model of prestige and sophistication, not to have my dalliances paraded around the media, that my philandering was of utter embarrassment to him and our family, etcetera etcetera…”

“Did he even know why you did that?”

“No. And he still doesn’t. I’d rather keep it that way.”

“I just don’t think it’s fair the way he treats you, with everything you do for him.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “It’s not right.” Her eyes fired up with anger. “And neither is what Ana is doing to you either. That’s practically blackmail.”

“Well, hey, we could probably use that to our advantage, you know. The more success you have in this competition, the more valuable your status is with the press. Ana will get her exclusives, and it can only look good for you. The way I see it, this can be a good thing.”

“Ever the positive one…” She reached over and ruffled his hair.

“Hey!” He laughed.

She was quiet for a moment. “Well, your reputation is not really a big topic these days. Word is out among our friends that nothing has really happened for you since New York… although between me and you, maybe… Lythikos?”

He looked down at her, his gaze meeting hers. “I think I’m ready for that topic too, actually.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I did meet someone that night. Actually, I think I may have saved her from getting raped… or worse. We went back to her room, and…” He flinched as Riley’s hand slipped into his. “I kept getting this feeling that I shouldn’t be there. It wouldn’t stop. Finally, I left. Nothing happened, minus a little making out…” A pained look came over his face. “And that’s when I came back to the keep and saw you. I felt like the worst person in the world at that point. I just wanted to crawl away and hide from everyone.” He squeezed her hand and looked at her gratefully. “But you… you didn’t judge me that night. You became all that I needed, and that was to be my friend… my _best_ friend. You have no idea how happy I am to have you here, Riley.” He let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. “Thank you so much.”

She hugged him just as tightly back. “There’s no need to thank me. You’ve always been there for me. And I’ll always be there for you.”

He sat back, staring at the pond for a moment. “To be honest… I don’t know how I feel about the whole one-night-stand bit anymore… Not to be super totally weird or anything, but ever since we met, you made me want to be better than that… Being friends with you made me feel like I could actually have something better than what I’ve been doing… if that makes any sense.” He frowned, picking up a small stone and skipping it across the pond. “I don’t know… It probably sounds stupid.”

“It’s not stupid at all, Maxwell. I think it sounds… sweet.” She smiled as she picked up a small stone in succession and threw it over the pond.

He smiled back at her. “And maybe I could have my own love story one day, like you. I could have my own little Aidan and Riley tale… only it would be like Maxwell and…” His eyes fell on her for a moment. “…you know… whoever…” He quickly turned his gaze to the pond.

“Yeah… you never know…” She looked at him. “The right person could be closer than you think…”

His eyes met hers, looking at her for a long moment. “I hope so, Riley.” He got up from the bench. “Come on. I’ll walk you back.” He took her arm in his as they made their way through the hedge maze and back into the manor. “Tomorrow is Day Two of the Apple Blossom Festival. You’re gonna need to be prepared to fight for your time with Aidan.”

“So that usual?”

“Pretty much. And don’t forget all the apples! You’ve made an apple pie before, right? And you’re pretty good at planting apple trees?”

“That’s… a lot of apples.” She laughed.

As they arrived at Riley’s room, she reached over to give him a hug. “Good night, Maxwell.”

He hugged her tight against him. “Good night, little blossom!”

She smiled. “Little blossom… I love it!” She squeezed his shoulder affectionately before walking into her room and shutting the door.

The two of them stared at the closed door that separated them, memories of a certain kiss that took place a couple weeks ago at the palace burning through their minds, a kiss that obviously meant nothing to the other. Instinctively, they leaned against it, silently wishing for things to be different, sighing wistfully as the other side of the door responded to them in silence.


	12. Can I Tell You A Secret?

** Chapter 12: Can I Tell You A Secret? **

As Riley was leaving the manor to join in on the Apple Blossom Festival’s next-day activities, she ran right into Bertrand while he was walking toward the entrance. “Riley, _there_ you are. I’m here to prepare you for today’s events at the Apple Blossom Festival.”

“Way ahead of you,” she said good-humoredly. “I ate an apple tart for breakfast with apple cider and whipped apple butter, so I think I’m about ready as I can be!”

He frowned, completely unamused. “I don’t care about your food consumption. I care about how you’re going to appear today. And you should care too. The best dressed lady will be crowned the Apple Queen…”

“Oooooh… What’s that?” she asked with exaggerated interest.

“It’s an amusing tradition where the festival-goers vote on who will run the Apple Court. You’d get extra publicity, the favor of the actual Queen, and the ability to boss people around for an hour…”

“Interesting… The best dressed, huh? Something tells me you’ve got an outfit in mind?”

Bertrand motioned with his hand for her to follow him and quickly led her back inside the manor to change clothes. “There’s no time to lose. Through a series of promises and threats, I was able to procure a historically accurate rendition of a Cordonian peasant’s best gown from the country’s most prestigious stage production company, available on consignment. With this dress, you’ll be sure to win the title of Apple Queen!”

Riley took the outfit from him and walked into a nearby changing room. She lifted the blue gown up to examine it, noting the white apron and puffy sleeves along with a floral border along the bottom of the dress. _Why do I feel like I’m walking into a Shakespearean comedy in this outfit…?_ She put the gown on and walked out of the dressing room to show Bertrand, looking unsure. “…How’s this? Are you sure it’s not… too silly?”

Bertrand clapped his hands once and gave a slight smile of approval. “It’s perfect. You can thank me later. Come, we’re overdue to meet Maxwell.”

As the two of them reached the apple orchard, Riley spotted Maxwell, who waved them over. “Hey, Riley, ready to show off your baking skills?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” She cast a backwards glance at Bertrand while Maxwell held back a smile. “I _really_ can’t be trusted next to any heat sources. There was this one time that I actually burnt _ice cream_.” She winked.

Bertrand looked flabbergasted. “How?”

“It’s a long story, but it involves finding a rat in my kitchen…” she said, keeping a straight face.

“Never mind, spare me the details…” He frowned, looking disgusted.

She couldn’t keep her straight face up any longer, and a grin broke out, followed by a small giggle. “Relax, Bertrand. I was teasing you. I am actually an undiscovered prodigy. I always cooked for my friends back home, and they loved it!” She looked at the two brothers inquiringly. “…but why would my baking skills matter out here in the orchard?”

“Because the next event of the Apple Blossom Festival involves baking an apple pie for the Queen,” Maxwell answered.

“For the Queen?!”

“Yes, today is all about gaining the Queen’s favor…” Bertrand said. “As we draw closer to the Coronation, she’ll be testing all the potential candidates. Be careful what you say around her.”

“It’d also help if you won the pie-baking contest,” Maxwell added.

“Roger that.”

“But you won’t be baking alone! It’s a team event, so you can rely on the other ladies if you need to. Some of them are absolutely amazing bakers!”

“I’m sure Hana could whip up an apple pie even if she was blindfolded.”

“Maybe you can get on her team!” Maxwell directed her to where the ladies gathered for the royal bake-off. “Make House Beaumont proud!” He gave her a high-five, and then walked off with Bertrand, leaving her with the ladies.

Moments later, Queen Regina entered the royal bake-off area. “Greetings ladies, I’m glad to see everyone here again. We will soon be dividing into two teams to partake in the apple pie baking contest. I’ve decided that Olivia will captain one team and Madeleine the other.” She nodded to the both of them. “Ladies, please select your teams.”

Madeleine looked toward the group. “I choose Lady Penelope.”

Penelope jumped excitedly. “Ohhh, we’ll bake poodle-shaped pie crumpets!”

Madeleine glared disapprovingly at her. “No.”

Her shoulders slumped as she walked over to stand with the team. “Okay…”

“Lady Kiara,” Olivia called out.

“Merci.”

Olivia and Madeleine picked from the other ladies until the only two remaining were Riley and Hana. Olivia sneered at them both for a moment, then put on a smug smile. “Look at the two strays. Come on, Riley, I’ll adopt you. You’re not as mangy as Hana.”

Riley folded her arms and stood in her place. “Wait… we’re a pair. If you adopt one of us, you have to adopt _both_ of us.”

Olivia glared distastefully at them. “ _Two_ undesirables on one team? That’s just _vile_.”

Madeleine shot her a sly smile. “ _I_ don’t really care. You can have both of them.”

“Hana’s with me!” Riley insisted.

“Yes, I am!” Hana echoed.

Olivia huffed, but didn’t say anything as the two of them joined with the rest of her team. As Riley walked towards the outdoor baking setup, the Queen approached her. “Lady Riley, I hope you’ll exceed expectations like last time.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll bake you something that’ll make angels weep.”

“That’s the spirit.” Queen Regina smiled at her. “Best of luck, Lady Riley.”

As the ladies arrived at the outdoor kitchen, Olivia and Madeleine organized their teams. “Riley, Hana, cut the apples,” Olivia ordered. “That should be a simple enough task that even you can handle.”

“But I…” Olivia walked away before Hana could finish.

Riley smiled over at her. “I appreciate your chef skills, Hana. We’ve got this.”

With the ladies all positioned, Queen Regina addressed the crowd. “Let the great Cordonian bake-off begin!”

The ladies jumped into a flurry of activity, and Olivia slammed a basket of apples in front of Riley. “Get to work,” she demanded, walking away.

Riley and Hana quickly peeled and sliced the apples. “Okay, that’s done. Let’s see… The recipe says we should add two cups of sliced apples…” Riley said, looking through the recipe instructions.

“But we’re doubling the size of the pie, so we should add four cups,” Hana pointed out.

“Great. I’ll do the measuring.”

“Okay! I’ll start getting the spices together.” As Hana worked to create a cinnamon mix for the pie, Riley took the cut apples and turned to the mixing bowl. She measured four cups’ worth of apples and set it aside for the cinnamon mix. “That looks perfect!” Hana smiled.

“Thanks! I’ll tell Olivia we’ve done our job.” Riley looked around for her. “Hey, Olivia!” She walked a little further from their kitchen area, to find Olivia near the other team’s kitchen. She hid two identical shakers behind her back as Riley approached. “Olivia? The apples are ready…”

Olivia looked at her in surprise and then proceeded to speak in a hushed tone. “Uh… good.”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”

“Official captain business.”

“Riiiight… What are you _really_ doing?”

Olivia checked around for eavesdroppers before whispering to her. “I’m switching the salt and sugar labels for the other team. Now that you know, you can spare me your moralizing and leave. I don’t have much time.”

She considered the stakes for a moment and then decided to go for it. “Olivia… how can I help?”

“You want to help _me_?” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why?”

“I dislike Madeleine more… let’s just call you the lesser of two evils _._ ”

A wry, almost appreciative, smile appeared on her face. “Fair enough. How about you distract Penelope for me? She’s their guard dog.”

“On it.” As Olivia ducked down to switch the labels, Riley stood guard, stopping Penelope as she returned to the cabinets. “Penelope, my dearest friend! How’s the pie baking?”

Penelope had a forlorn look on her face. “Madeleine doesn’t trust me, so I’m ‘standing around and looking pretty.’” Her face perked up slightly. “But, you know, at least that means she thinks I’m pretty!”

Riley feigned shock. “But you’re so good at… baking and… things. Presumably.”

“If only… I’ve never even boiled water! Right now I wish I could just snuggle up with my poodles.”

“Yeah…” Riley just smiled and nodded, waiting for Olivia’s signal to leave. “I feel that.”

Penelope’s eyes lit up. “Do _you_ have poodles? They’re my favorite type of dog. Did I tell you about the golden poodle statues around my family’s estate? We have one in the atrium, the gardens, the bathhouse…”

_Seriously, what is it with this woman and poodles?!_ Riley resisted the urge to shake her head and just kept forcing a smile. _What have I gotten myself into?_ A hand patted her shoulder, and she turned to see Olivia standing there. _Oh thank god! …Wait a minute… Am I actually_ happy _to see Olivia?!_

“Penelope, _darling_ , excuse me for butting in, but this little sheep has wandered from the herd. I’ll be taking her back now.”

Penelope, none the wiser, smiled and waved them off. “Of course. Goodbye!”

Olivia led her back to their team’s kitchen, giving her a somewhat-approving smile. “Not bad for a beginner…” she commended. “…but now I need you over by the oven.” She left Riley by a wood-fired oven.

Hana waved and came over to her. “This pie is almost ready to be baked. Want to help me decorate it before it goes in the oven?”

“Does this include a taste test?”

“There _is_ leftover apple filling…”

“Consider me at your command.”

Hana took a moment to study the pie. “I want to add a little flair to the pie, so it’ll bake with a pretty design. Though I’m not sure what the design should be…” She looked up at Riley. “What do you think the Queen would like?”

Riley thought for a moment. “Hmm… how about we add a Cordonian Royal Seal? It’s a pie fit for a queen after all!”

“The seal is a bit complicated, but I love a challenge!” Hana toiled away at the dough, forming the rough outline of the Cordonian seal.

Riley watched as the seal slowly formed into shape. “Wow… you’re really amazing at this!”

“You sound so surprised.”

“Just… very impressed.”

Kiara walked into the kitchen area, immediately noticing them decorating the crust, and marched over to criticize them. “Hey! You’re not supposed to—” She paused as she saw the Cordonian seal nearly complete on the pie. “…Whoa… tres beau.”

Riley smiled. “You think the Queen will like it?”

“She’d be a fool not to.”

“Let’s bake this masterpiece!”

Kiara took the freshly decorated pie and walked toward the oven. “One pie, coming right u—” She tripped, sending the pie flipping through the air.

Riley dove after the pie, catching it before it hit the ground. “Got it!”

“Wow…”

“That was spectacular!” Hana applauded.

Riley triumphantly placed the pie in the oven. As they waited for the pie to cook, she and Hana took a break. Riley sipped on water while enjoying the warmth of the sun filtering through the apple trees. “So, Hana… let me guess. Baking is another one of those skills you had to learn.”

“‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,’ as my mother used to say. But at least I got to taste test all of my creations, including sneaking in some uncooked batter every now and then.”

“As is the chef’s right!”

A short time later, they heard the oven timer sound off with a “ _Ding!_ ”

Riley got up, smoothing down her dress. “Well, that’s the oven timer…”

“Looks like the pie’s done!” Hana said, examining it as Riley pulled it out of the oven.

“Careful! Hot, hot, hot!”

“Give that here…” Olivia, appearing out of nowhere, smoothly took the pie from her and presented it to Queen Regina at the same time that Madeleine presented her team’s pie.

Queen Regina nodded to both of them. “Thank you both. We’ll begin with judging Madeleine’s pie.” She examined the quality of the pie’s presentation. “This is very well done. Good work, Madeleine.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Queen Regina cut out a piece and bit into it, immediately making a face. “Oh, my… that’s a bit heavy on the salt.”

Madeleine’s jaw dropped slightly. “What?”

Olivia wore a sly grin as she nudged Riley and whispered, “ _Good work._ ”

Madeleine’s fists clenched in rage as she turned and glowered at Penelope. Penelope’s shoulders slumped as she gave her an apologetic look. Madeleine gave a rueful look to Queen Regina. “My apologies, Your Majesty.”

The Queen shifted her attention to Olivia’s team’s pie. “Hmmm… This design is amazing. Who did this?”

Hana smiled proudly. “I did, Your Majesty.”

“You’re exceptionally talented, Lady Hana.”

“Thank you, ma’am, but I had help from Lady Riley.”

“Then let me extend my compliments to both of you. And the crust is in splendid condition.” Queen Regina cut into the pie and sampled a small bite. “The perfect amount of apples with exquisite flavoring.” She dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “After weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each side… I declare Olivia’s team the winner! This is one of the best apple pies I’ve had in a long time. Very well done, ladies…”

Olivia grinned. “You honor us all, ma’am!”

“Now, ladies, if you’ll proceed across the grounds for our next event…” Cleaning staff cleared the area as Riley began to walk away with the other ladies. Queen Regina approached her. “Lady Riley, may I have a word?”

“Of course, ma’am.”

She led her away from the ladies for a stroll through the apple orchard. “First, I’d like to compliment you on your historically accurate costume… It’s nice to see you embracing the traditions…”

“Thank you. I suspect this isn’t what you took me on this walk to talk about though, is it?”

“Ah, you’re direct, but not incorrect. I wanted us to get to know one another better. I’ve been impressed with how you’ve comported yourself so far. You’ve demonstrated grace and composure unlike most.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“But a queen, no matter how graceful and composed, cannot be everywhere at once. You’ll need to appoint advisors and ambassadors to act in your stead.”

“Effective delegation is effective leadership.”

“Precisely. That is why I’d like to hear your opinion on some of those around you.”

“Of course.”

“Madeleine is one of your strongest competitors. What’s your opinion of her?”

“She’s a valuable asset. She has the pedigree and the skills to thrive at court, and she uses that to her advantage. She could be a valuable ally, or a difficult enemy.”

“Interesting assessment. Hana has been a competitor since the beginning, and you two seem closer than the others. What do you see in her?”

“Hana is extraordinarily talented. She’s basically a court prodigy, and she’s helped me find my footing when I didn’t know where to step.”

“She’s someone you’d want to keep in your inner circle, I assume.”

“Absolutely.”

“I’ve had a similar thought about her myself. What you say about your friends can reveal more about you than about them. And Prince Aidan’s commoner friend, Drake? You’re by his side quite _often_ despite him having little to do with the competition.” A questioning look appeared in her eye.

_And I thought the court rumors said it was me and_ Maxwell _that were always together…_ she thought to herself. “Drake is reliable, if rough around the edges. He can be moody, but he’ll come through for his friends in a pinch. Drake’s loyal, and I understand why Prince Aidan trusts him. I do too.”

“It’s good to surround yourself with people you can trust. A true queen must have a network of allies she can call upon. It’s clear you’ve been assessing how those around you may help you one day.”

“I do my best.”

“You may return to the other suitors, Lady Riley. It’s time I announce the next event.”

“Of course. Thank you, ma’am.” She curtsied and rejoined the other ladies among a gathering of onlookers.

The Queen addressed everyone. “The Apple Blossom Festival symbolizes the growth vital to keeping our small nation thriving. Now, as is tradition, we will honor one distinguished, best dressed lady as this year’s Apple Queen. This is a ceremonial position for the people to decide. Last year, it was our very own, Lady Madeleine.”

Madeleine glowed with pride. “And I very much appreciated the honor.”

“As for this year… Citizens of Cordonia, who do you wish to honor with this title?”

The crowd erupted into wild cries, a frenzied mix of names, cheers, and boos.

“Riley!” Maxwell and Drake shouted out from either side of the throng of citizens, causing a ripple of chants for her name to spread throughout the crowd. Chants for ‘Riley’ overpowered any dissenting names.

Queen Regina smiled. “I think we have a clear winner. Lady Riley will be this year’s Apple Queen.”

Donnie Brine quickly turned to his cameraman: “Breaking news, folks, Lady Riley has been elected Apple Queen!”

“What will this mean for the race to win Prince Aidan’s hand?” Ana de Luca asked into her camera. “Our expert panel will weigh in shortly. Stay tuned.”

“Wooooooo! Go Riley!” Maxwell cheered. “Party like it’s 1299! All hail the Apple Queen from the Big Apple!”

Queen Regina waved her forward. “Lady Riley, please join me for your ‘Coronation.’” Riley stood before her as she handed her an apple-shaped scepter. “Lady Riley, I pronounce you Queen of the Apples. Long live the Apple Queen!”

“Queen Regina, it’s an honor. Thank you all for electing me to represent you as the Apple Queen. I’m happy to accept this esteemed position, and I will treat it with the utmost respect.” She paused for a moment. “What now?” she asked quietly.

“My queen, I will serve as your acting seneschal and guide you through the ceremony. Before we proceed, we must fill out the Apple Court. These are the courtiers who will parade behind you. Who will be your cupbearer? This person should be a close confidant you’d trust with your life.”

_Welllll, since everyone thinks we hang out so much!_ Riley grinned. “I think Drake should have that honor.”

Drake raised an eyebrow. “You _know_ the cup-bearer tastes drinks for poison, right?”

Riley waved him on stage hurriedly. “Oh, you’ll be fine. Get up here!”

“I am blessed to carry out your agenda, my queen…” He gave her a derisive look as he took his place at her righthand side.

The Queen pulled out a goofy-looking fool’s cap. “My queen, if you’ll name your court jester.”

Riley laughed. “Maxwell, no contest!”

“Step aside, plebeians!” Maxwell spread his arms as he jovially marched through the crowd to the stage. “Three-time jester MVP, coming through!”

Drake rolled his eyes. “You’re not supposed to enjoy this.”

Maxwell grinned. “I’m sensing jealousy.” He plopped the jester cap on his head, the bells jingling as they fell down on his face.

“Forget I said anything…”

Queen Regina turned to Riley. “My queen, with your court assembled, it is your right to issue an edict before your people.”

Riley turned to the crowd. “My people… thank you for selecting me as your Apple Queen! I’m here because of you… and I will be your faithful Apple Queen, the Apple Queen of the people!”

The crowd cheered loudly, and Queen Regina summoned a horse pulling a wagon of apples. “Oh, magnanimous Apple Queen, please show your generosity and share your bountiful harvest with us.”

“Did I mention apples for everyone?” She began pointing at various citizens in classic Oprah fashion. “ _You_ get an apple, and _you_ get an apple, _everybody_ gets an apple!” She climbed onto the wagon with her court and paraded past the crowd. Her courtiers handed her apples, which she then tossed to the flood of clamoring hands. Towards the end of the line, she saw Olivia sulking among the crowd. She threw an apple at her, which she frantically attempted to catch, but was unsuccessful. The apple hit her chest with a thud.

“Oh!” she shouted in surprise.

“How do you like them apples?” Riley grinned.

Olivia scoffed. “Very funny.”

“The Apple Queen’s power is absolute!” She gifted apples all the way down the parade line.

At the end, Madeleine stood by a potted baby apple tree. “Your majesty, please honor your ancestor, last year’s Apple Queen, and plant a tree for the next generation,” Queen Regina instructed.

Madeleine curtsied as she approached. “My queen. Happy wishes for you.”

“Why thank you, my ancestor,” Riley said in dramatic fashion.

Madeleine continued speaking in a controlled tone, though her eyes showed infuriation. “The labor of your forebears will help you build a better world…” She lowered her voice and continued. “Not many get the pleasure of being addressed as ‘my queen.’ Savor these moments. You may never hear the phrase again.”

Riley narrowed her eyes. “Madeleine, I take nothing for granted.”

“Surprisingly level-headed. Maybe being a commoner has taught you to accept your station.”

“It taught me to appreciate the little things and not to be…” … _so salty!_ “…an utter _jerk_.”

“Good. I like complacency in a future subject.” She smirked and stepped back to reveal a hole for the sapling. “The ground is yours, my queen.”

Riley took the baby apple tree from the pot and placed it into the hole and scooped dirt around it. She stood up and addressed the crowd. “Everyone, the work we do today will benefit future generations. They deserve something worth inheriting.” The crowd clapped.

“Thank you, gracious Apple Queen. As for your final honor…” Queen Regina motioned to her right as Aidan walked up beside them.

He knelt before Riley, smiling up at her. “You are entitled to a kiss, my queen.”

“Aidan, I humbly accept your offer.”

“As my queen wishes.” Prince Aidan rose, tenderly leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. He managed to whisper against her. “Maybe we’ll steal a moment or two later…”

She smiled and watched as he walked away. With the tree planted and the kiss received, the crowd dispersed. Queen Regina approached her. “It’s time I head back to the Applewood Manor, but please feel free to enjoy the festival as the reigning Apple Queen. Past queens have been popular at the apple bobbing contest.”

Riley nodded to her. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Before she could get too far, she could hear the distinct sound of jingling bells. Turning around, she saw Maxwell bounding towards her from the apple cart, jester cap still bouncing on his head. “There’s our glorious Apple Queen!” he said excitedly.

“That hat is so you.” She pulled out her phone. “It’s time for a best friends selfie!”

“Wooooo!” He leaned in, making a goofy face as she snapped a picture of the two of them. He looked at the resulting picture and laughed. “This is epic!”

“Sending it to you now!” Riley laughed as she sent him a copy and put away her phone. She tugged playfully at his hat, tapping gently at the little bells. “Thanks for your support. I heard you cheering out there.”

“Well, _somebody_ had to do it. But anyway, that’s not why I’m here.” He was quiet for a moment. “…I _might_ be able to get you some time alone with Prince Aidan today. I happen to know he’s in the manor’s conservatory right now waiting for a few nobles. I could distract them long enough with offers to donate to their favorite causes. This could be your chance for a romantic moment alone with him…”

She looked toward where he was pointing, unable to see it yet. “…Would we have time?”

He shifted back and forth. “The conservatory’s on the other side of the estate grounds. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Riley pulled him in for a one-armed hug. “Thanks, Maxwell, you’re the best.”

He took his hat off, fiddling with the bells. “Heh. Well, someone needs to think I’m the best to make up for Bertrand thinking I’m the worst, right?”

“Forget what Bertrand thinks. Forget _anything negative_ that he thinks about you. You’re awesome just the way you are.” She tilted her head to meet his eyes and smiled as he looked over to smile at her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As she stepped into the conservatory, Prince Aidan turned to her. “Lady Riley…” He broke into a joyful smile. “What an unexpected surprise. And are you wearing an authentic peasant costume?”

Riley looked down at her dress. “Bertrand says it’s _historically accurate_ …”

“Well, you look fantastic.”

“Thank you! I hope I’m not disrupting your schedule too much…”

“I am supposed to meet with some of my mother’s friends to discuss the flowers… but I’m _very_ excited to see you instead.”

“Maxwell said he’d take care of distracting your other appointment.”

“Then he’s a very good friend indeed.”

“You’ve been even busier than usual lately.”

“Yes…” His smile faded, revealing his exhaustion. “Since my father announced his abdication at the Regatta, I’ve been suddenly overrun by nobles wanting to… well, congratulate isn’t quite the right word, but they want to spend a few moments with the soon-to-be king.”

“Ah.” She nodded in understanding.

“My Coronation seemed like a distant future event, but now it’s actually happening. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be the King of Cordonia. I thought I’d have more time…” He frowned, looking worried.

“Aidan…” She put a hand on his arm. “…you’re ready. You’ve been training for this for so long. If anybody is ready for this, it’s you.”

He looked down at her. “You say it so certainly, you make me believe you.”

“You should. I’m usually always right.”

“It’s just strange to think that so many people will be counting on me… depending on me.”

“I don’t think they could ask to be in better hands. You may not be able to see yourself clearly, but I do. You’re kind, compassionate, and responsible to a fault. But most of all… You’re always thinking of others. As a king, I know you’ll be thinking of everyone in your care.”

“Those in power have a responsibility to use their power for those who have none.”

Riley smiled. “I love how you say that like it’s common sense… but there are a lot of people who don’t think like you do. And that’s why it’s so important that you’re going to be the king.”

Aidan shook his head slowly, looking at her in wonder. “You see me so clearly… but what about yourself? I know there’s so much still undecided, but let’s say you _were_ my selection…”

_Say I_ was _, hmm?_

“You’re such a free spirit, Riley. And I love that about you. But there are expectations that come with being queen. Royal events, life at the palace… _children._ Do you see your place at my side?”

Riley considered her words carefully. “Aidan… I’d like to think that as long as I’m with you, I’m ready for anything that comes with the territory.”

“That means a lot to me, Riley.” He smiled softly. “Meeting you in New York was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. You changed my life.”

“I’ve gone from waiting tables to waltzing with a prince. My life has changed too, thanks to you and our friends.”

“For better, I hope?”

“Incomparably.”

Aidan sighed, looking at her thoughtfully. “Riley, whatever happens… know that I’m grateful for the time we’ve spent together.”

_And here we are… back with the uncertainty of what’s to come…_

He paused in front of a light-pink flowering bush. Reaching out, he picked a rose and handed it to her. “Have you ever seen a Juliet Rose? Also known as the Five Million Dollar Flower.”

Her eyes widened as she gingerly held the flower. “Five million dollars? You sure know how to spoil a girl.”

He chuckled. “They _are_ expensive, but not quite that expensive. It’s rumored that the man who created this specific peach-colored rose spent fifteen years and five million dollars to do so.”

“That’s a beautiful story. There’s something so sweet about dedicating all of that just to bring us this one flower…”

“Truly it must’ve been a labor of love.”

“Thank you for showing it to me…” She twirled the flower in her hand.

“It’s nothing. After all, today is all about blossoms. I hope you’ve enjoyed the festival.”

“I loved it.” She noticed his expression turned serious as his gaze lingered on her. “Something else on your mind?”

“Just… well, it’s nothing. You said it was nothing anyway…” The look in his eyes betrayed the confident mask he was trying to present.

“Is this still about Drake?” She looked at him questioningly.

He looked at her uncomfortably. “The party last night I tried overlooking as perhaps a misunderstanding… but then I was observing the Apple Court today, and I couldn’t help but notice how he was looking at you…” He took her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. “I like to think I know my best friend, Riley… and there seems to be a change in him when you’re around, however subtle it may be. And I know the future for us is still uncertain, so…” His eyes filled with sadness. “…I wouldn’t blame you if you were considering _other_ options for your own future…”

Memories of her and Maxwell flooded her head as she stared at him. He could have easily been the one for Aidan to worry about… had he actually felt the same way about Riley that she did for him. It definitely wasn’t the case, which meant the only thing standing between her and Aidan right now was the remainder of the social season and the competition. She squeezed his hand. “I do stand by what I said last night. I don’t have those feelings for Drake, Aidan…” She gave him a mischievous smile. “Unless, of course, you _want_ me to indulge this possible crush of his and provide you with some competition… I mean, you two thrive on it after all.”

Heat flashed in his eyes as he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her flush against him. “Not a chance, Lady Riley…” he growled softly. He moved in and crashed his lips against hers, as her arms wound around his neck and his hands tightened around her. For a moment, they met in a searing kiss that left her wanting more, eliciting a soft moan from her throat and sending a pleasing chill down his spine. “Riley…” he whispered, as his hands trailed down her arms and her waist, his mouth moving from hers to sensitive places down her neck, drawing his name from her lips amidst her satisfied moans. Reluctantly, he stopped before he could get carried away. “We’d better stop, or I’ll never leave you…” he said quietly. “I don’t know how much longer Maxwell can stall the nobles. He can’t entertain _all_ of my appointments.”

“He can try…”

He captured her lips in one long, lingering kiss, then reluctantly pulled away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Until next time.”

She looked up at him. “Until then…” As she walked out the door, she paused and looked back, as Aidan held her gaze through the glass. Though she knew she cared deeply for him, and he for her, the doubts had already begun resurfacing in her mind again. With the uncertainty of how the competition was going to play out, it appeared both of them were feeling some fear of loss in what the two of them already shared. Aidan had really been worried over Drake moving in on her for some reason, and yet it just occurred to her he’d never even questioned why she stayed out on the floor with Maxwell for so long last night… or why they were together so much in general. Two different men—one deemed a threat and the other not so much. Funny enough, the one he was underestimating could easily be his biggest competition… if only Maxwell actually had the same feelings towards her…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Walking back from the conservatory, she spotted Maxwell sitting on a bench near a grove of apple trees, typing away on his phone. “Maxwell!” She waved in his direction as he looked towards her, and his eyes lit up.

“Hey,” he said as he stuffed his phone in his pocket. He gave her a half-smile as he walked over to her, grabbing a few apples from one of the trees on the way. “I hope everything went well with Aidan…”

“We had a nice talk,” she said, as he walked with her back to the manor.

He noticed she wasn’t saying too much. He knew that look in her eye by now that something was eating at her. “So! Now that the Apple Blossom Festival is over, we’re clearing the grounds for the…” He put his hands up in air quotes. “…‘fox hunt’ next week.”

She looked at him in alarm. “We’re hunting foxes?!”

“Not a fox hunt, a…” He created the air quotes with his hands again. “…‘fox hunt.’ Didn’t you see my air quotes?” He grinned. “So the ‘fox hunt’ is more like a race that takes place on the royal hunting grounds. Which means horseback riding through the woods!” He looked around the manor grounds as the outdoor lights slowly started lighting up in contrast to the darkening sky. “Come with me…” He grabbed her hand and led her over to the manor stables.

“Are we supposed to be in here?”

“Probably not, but it’s not like anyone really comes here after dark, unless the horses get spooked…” He made his way over to one of the stalls and gingerly put his hand forward. “Hey girl…” A moment later, the head of a beautiful brown and white mare poked out of the stall, nuzzling Maxwell’s hand. He smiled and pulled one of the apples from his pocket, holding it out to her. “Got something for ya…” She happily took it from his hands and ate it with a few satisfying crunches. He smiled and petted her nose affectionately, then turned to Riley, tossing her an apple. “Here. They love these!”

Riley turned her attention toward the stall in front of her, where a beautiful black mare that she’d recognized from the derby had already poked her head out and was looking at her quizzically. “Maxwell, is that…”

“Yep! Marabelle’s Dream!” He grinned as Riley slowly lifted her hand up and Marabelle’s Dream instantly moved forward to connect her nose to it. “I think she likes you.”

Riley smiled and stroked the soft hair along her neck, noticing her mane had been decorated with a fresh cluster of apple blossoms from the festival. She lifted her other hand with the apple and brought it up to her. The mare eagerly took hold of it and crunched away in delight. “I think I have a new friend,” she laughed.

“Ohhhh, hold that thought!” Maxwell took off running out of the stables.

“Maxwell, where are y—” Too late. She felt Marabelle’s Dream nuzzle her from behind. She turned to her and gently stroked her velvety nose. “Hello, beautiful.” The mare’s bright brown eyes seemed to light up in response. “Hey… can I tell you a secret?” Marabelle’s Dream nudged her with her nose, nickering softly. Riley almost felt like she was in an actual conversation with her, as she rubbed the horse’s neck again. “That sweet guy who brought you the apples? He’s a good friend… my best friend here actually.” She paused a moment. “And… I’m in love with him.”

She opened her mouth to continue speaking when she heard the sound of running footsteps thudding down the path. A moment later, Maxwell came running back into the stables. “I’m back!” he panted, putting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

“You know… I wasn’t going anywhere. You didn’t have to kill yourself…” she giggled, walking over to rub his back.

He relaxed for a moment at her touch, and then jumped up, full of energy again. “Okay, I’m good.” He grabbed her hands and pulled her with him. “This way!”

“Where are we—”

“Over here!” He pulled her into the corner of the stables, playfully pushing her into the haystack behind her. “Here we are!”

“Hey!” She threw a handful of hay at him, giggling.

He threw himself into the hay next to her, grinning. “So… I have something for you… kind of a small surprise.”

“What is it?”

“You have to close your eyes… and don’t open them until I tell you to.”

“Hmmm…” She narrowed her eyes playfully. “Should I trust you?”

He grinned innocently. “Whaaaaat?”

“Better play nice, Maxwell,” she laughed, covering her eyes with one hand. Seconds later, she felt him take her other arm and hold it up. She felt his fingers brush lightly against the inside of her wrist as something soft tightened against the back of it.

“Okay,” she heard him say quietly. “You can look now.”

She removed her hand and looked down at her wrist. Tied to it was a tiny stringed bracelet with little pink and white flower blossoms woven into it. She brushed her finger against it and looked up at him. “Maxwell…”

“It’s… a friendship bracelet… I was still wired last night, so…”

“You _made_ this?”

“Well… yeah…” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I know it’s not really anything… just something I threw together… and they kinda looked like apple blossoms, and you know… little blossom… apple blossom…”

“This is _so_ sweet, Maxwell! I _love_ it!” She pulled him in for a one-armed hug, still looking down at the bracelet in awe before she proceeded to gently run her hand over each individual handmade blossom. “I’m never taking this off!”

Now he was definitely grateful he had pulled them both into a darker corner of the stables so she could not see him blushing. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Are you kidding? You _made_ this for me! Those are the best kinds of gifts ever!” She grinned and laid back against the hay, looking down at her dress. “You know… the way we’re dressed right now… feels like we’re in the setting of some cheesy romance novel.”

“Does it?” He laughed, trying not to sound nervous.

“Set in the royal stables… a beautiful peasant girl and some dashing young nobleman preparing for the…” She smirked and made air quotes as he’d done earlier. “…’fox hunt’… but of course, it is just a ruse so that they could be alone together…”

He made a regal pose. “Did you just call me _dashing_ , lovely peasant?”

“As sure as you just called me _lovely_ ,” she giggled.

He jumped up and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her up to him as he spoke in a foreign accent. “They want me to marry the Earl’s daughter to join our families’ assets… but I cannot do it! Not when I am in love with another!” He got down on one knee and raised an arm in dramatic fashion. “Oh beautiful peasant girl—who’s name we never even thought of before this whole scenario—ride away with me into the night and let us escape this life!”

She stared down at him with a smile. _This is_ so _hot right now…_ “Oh dashing nobleman—who is also unknown—what if we’re caught? I don’t know what we should do…”

Marabelle’s Dream whinnied loudly from her stall. Maxwell turned his head and then grinned. “I think she’s saying ‘go for it’, beautiful peasant girl!” He grabbed her hand and led her to the stall, opening it up and letting the gorgeous mare out. “We’re going to do this Beaumont Bash style… you know… because I’ve heard those Beaumonts throw quite a party…” He winked as he climbed easily onto the horse’s back, extending his hand to help Riley up, sitting her in front of him. He extended his arm and pointed toward the stable exit. “Into the night, my noble steed!”

Riley leaned against Maxwell and he carefully held onto her as Marabelle’s Dream made a short journey through the apple orchards. Together, they watched the lights of the stars and the moonlight dance through the leaves of the apple trees as they passed underneath them. Eventually, they ended up back inside the stables, and he helped her back down. “Alas, we were nearly caught! I couldn’t risk them seeing us, but perhaps one night soon, we will make our escape and be together forever!” He made a dramatic bow.

She laughed, shaking her head. “As I said… pure cheesy romance novel material.” _And yet so sexy when he talks like that…_

“Yeah…” He grinned, helping Marabelle’s Dream back into her stall and feeding her the last remaining apple he had. “The stuff they come up with… makes for good theater though. Easy way to project random emotions with the cheesiest lines ever and still have fun with it.” _Translation: How to tell the woman you love that you love her right to her face and pretend that it’s all an act at the same time…_

She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “I’m going to turn in. Last thing I need is your brother breathing down my neck over me getting lack of sleep.”

“Heh.” He hugged her back. “More than likely, I’d be in the line of fire first, since I’m technically responsible for you during this whole thing…”

“Typical Bertrand…” She shook her head, smiling as she waved from the stable doors and disappeared from view, leaving him standing by Marabelle’s Dream.

The horse whinnied quietly behind him. “Sorry, girl. Maybe you’ll see her tomorrow for the hunt. I’ll make sure she brings you an extra apple.” He smiled as he patted her neck. “Can I tell you a secret?” he whispered to her, looking out to where Riley had disappeared. Marabelle’s Dream nudged his shoulder as if urging him to continue. “I’m in love with her so much that it hurts.” He began to feel emotional as he said the words aloud for the first time. “ _She’s_ the one that’s getting set up to marry another, and I’m…” The mare just stared at him and he looked up at her. “…yeah… I’m just the peasant.” He sighed downheartedly. “I love her,” he admitted again, leaning his head against the mare’s nose as she nuzzled him comfortingly. “…but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley watched the moonlight spill into her bedroom as she tried to allow sleep to find her. Her day had indeed been full—from dominating all events in the day’s competition to the growing uncertainty between her and Aidan to the unmistakable feelings she continued to have for Maxwell. She stared at the bracelet again, touching the flowers that he had affectionately put his time into for her.

She and Aidan had a good thing going. As long as Maxwell was not part of the equation, things were not that complicated, minus the fact she was the one with the feelings for him. But if she were to pursue it, to _tell_ him how she felt, it would definitely stir things up, especially so close to the end of the social season. But would he even _want_ to know, was the question? It seemed he was happier being just friends with her. Perhaps that’s why he had given her the _friendship_ bracelet… as a reminder of that.

Yes. It was getting close to the end. She could easily keep going and marry Aidan as intended… provided she continued making it through this competition and winning the approval of everyone. But then she would never know. Her feelings would go unresolved. Could she live with that?

She nodded her head slowly, her eyes filling with determination. “This is what it has to be,” she said to herself. “I’m going to tell him. Tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make your own "Little Blossom" friendship bracelet. Here is a YouTube tutorial on the simple pattern that I envisioned him quickly coming up with. Of course, you can use any combination of colors...  
> https://youtu.be/QT4-o4Ui4ss
> 
> Now that this update is complete, I'm off to finish my mini-rage over the recent TRH3 installment and go maim my Barthelemy voodoo doll! Grrr...!


	13. Clueless

** Chapter 13: Clueless **

_I love him  
Of that much I can be sure  
I don’t think I could endure  
If I let him walk away  
When I have so much to say  
_ **_(Celine Dion/Barbara Streisand – “Tell Him”)_ **

Riley woke up early in the morning to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She was barely able to get to the door to open it before Maxwell peeked his smiling face in. “Rise and shine, little blossom!”

“Wake up,” Bertrand’s irritated voice said behind him. “No one’s getting any younger here.”

Riley opened her door all the way to let them both in. “Isn’t it a little _early_ for this?”

“Today’s events start early!” Maxwell said.

“Obviously.” Bertrand looked at her with an irked expression. “Do you think we enjoy standing outside your door in the early hours like some sort of postal delivery service?

“That’s not what they—” Maxwell shook his head and turned back to her excitedly. “…Never mind. Today’s going to be awesome! Riley, you’re going to commune with nature along Cordonia’s majestic countryside.”

“Well, let’s get to it!” Riley turned from them and walked to her windows, looking through the curtains. “Sunshine is exactly what I need.”

“Like a plant.”

She glanced back at him. “…Right. Where are we headed?”

“We’ll be following one of the historic hunting trails the old nobility would use,” explained Bertrand. “It’s ancient. Even before there was a Cordonia, nobles would hunt their quarry along these trails.”

“We’re not _actually_ hunting anything, right?”

“Hunting is forbidden these days. Besides, the dangerous wildlife has migrated elsewhere in the years since the great Royal Hunts of centuries past. Instead, you’ll be riding on horseback through some of the most gorgeous countryside in Cordonia.”

“Come on, let’s go!” Maxwell grabbed her arm and led her out of the room.

Walking down the hallway, the three of them spotted Hana, who smiled as she saw them walking towards her. “Hey, Riley!”

“Hi, Hana. Is that a new outfit? Looks fancy,” Riley said, admiring the dark blue riding outfit Hana was wearing.

“Oh, this? It’s my riding uniform. It’s going to have plenty of scuffs and dirt marks by the end of today. What are you wearing to ride?”

“I didn’t bring a fancy riding uniform with me…”

“Of course. There may be one or two left in the boutique. We need to get you down there immediately,” Bertrand said hurriedly.

“I’ll come too,” Hana said, leading her into the boutique.

By the mirror, they found Olivia fastening the final button onto her blazer. “Voila!” she said with a satisfied grin. “Perfection, if I do say so myself.”

“You look lovely, Olivia,” Hana complimented.

“Of course, I do,” Olivia replied smugly.

“Olivia, let’s coordinate outfits,” Riley suggested. “We’d look so cute together!”

“Oooh! Like a trio.” Hana grinned.

Olivia rolled her eyes. “You two will look _nothing_ like me.”

“That’s right. I’m going to look even _better_ ,” Riley teased.

“Let’s not assume things,” Olivia said, narrowing her eyes and placing a hand on her hip. “This outfit complements my dignity and grace, which neither of you have. So no matter how you wear it, you’ll never look as good as me.”

Riley just smiled. “We’ll see about that.” She grabbed the last uniform from the rack and stepped into the changing room. She emerged in her new outfit moments later, grinning as Olivia stood at the mirror in silence, gaping at her. “Pretty spiffy, don’t you think?”

Hana gave her an impressed smile. “It’s like you stepped out of a Victorian painting!”

Olivia’s face reverted back to her normal scowl. “Please… Victorians haven’t been in style for centuries.”

Riley rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Let’s go riding!” As the ladies walked out the door, she stopped short at a set of jewelry drawers. Inspired, she looked through them, smiling as she found what she had in mind.

She walked outside to meet with Hana when Bertrand and Maxwell pulled her over to the end of the walkway. “Whoa!”

“There you are,” said Bertrand.

“You found an outfit!” Maxwell said, looking at her new uniform appreciatively.

“What do you think?”

Bertrand gave a quick glance. “Acceptable.”

“…Thanks.”

“You look great, Riley.” Maxwell smiled.

Bertrand rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. Now if your ego is sufficiently tended to, we’ve another more pressing matter. Time is of the essence.”

Maxwell side-glanced him. “Isn’t it always with you?”

“I noticed Prince Aidan was preparing his ride when I went to inspect the mounts just now…”

“…I take it that means you want me to go find him?” Riley asked.

“Exactly. You should’ve been seen by his side ten minutes ago. Maxwell, take her to the stables.”

“Yes, sir.” Maxwell rushed her over to the stables. Peering through the window, he surveyed the stalls. “Coast is clear,” he whispered to her. “Prince Aidan is alone. I’ll stall anyone who tries to enter… you get in there and impress our Prince.”

“As if I could do anything else.” Riley strode into the stables, startling a few horses in their stalls.

Prince Aidan stood over by Marabelle’s Dream, calming her by petting her snout. “Good girl… here, have another apple.”

Riley quietly walked up behind him. “Preparing for the ride today?”

Aidan turned around in surprise. “Lady Riley…” He smiled. “You have a habit of finding me when I’m alone.”

“What strange coincidences…” She winked.

“Hmm… coincidences? Or plans in disguise?”

“Let’s not overthink things.”

“I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. My mind goes blank every time I see you.”

She smiled impishly. “Maybe next time _you_ should be working harder to find _me_ …”

“If only I were a free man to do whatever I wanted…” Aidan met her eyes, a devious smile on his lips. “Oh, the things I would do, Lady Riley, if I didn’t have to worry about courtly propriety…”

“Such as?”

Aidan took her hand and pulled her into a tight embrace. He whispered in her ear, “ _Something like this…_ ” He took a deep breath and let her go. “I hope you’re looking forward to the Royal Hunt today.”

“I always look forward to spending time with you.”

“I’ll take that as a vote of confidence. But I know some people who don’t do well with horses, and I’ve never seen you ride before.”

“Horses are easy to ride. I basically become a centaur.”

“Sounds like you know your way around a horse. Maybe I’ll be asking _you_ for advice!”

Marabelle’s Dream whinnied behind him, and he reached over to stroke her neck. “I take it you don’t have a horse for the Royal Hunt yet.”

“Well… no…”

“Luckily for you, the crown has a number of fine steeds you can borrow for the day. Over here is Silver Star…” He pointed to a chestnut brown horse two stalls down. “And over here is Autumn’s Ember…” The white-marbled mare whinnied in the stall next to him.

“Cool. So are these the loaner horses?”

“Actually… there is one horse here for sale by her owner. The Derby champion, Marabelle’s Dream.” He petted the mare in front of him, and she nickered, her eyes lighting up as she recognized Riley from last night.

“She’s for sale?”

“She’s retired now, but still has a lot of life left in her.”

Riley walked over to her, as Marabelle’s Dream eagerly stretched her nose out toward her. “I’ll take her.”

“Hear that, Marabelle’s Dream?” Aidan patted her affectionately as the mare bobbed her head happily. “You’ll be riding for a great lady now. Keep her safe.” He looked at Riley. “You can always change her name now that you are her owner.”

Riley thought for a moment. “I think I’ll call her Midnight Blossom. How’s that, girl?” she asked, smiling as the mare nudged her shoulder, eyes lighting up in approval.

Just then, there was a small commotion outside. It drew nearer until the King entered the stables. Maxwell trailed him, trying to grab his attention. “If you’ll hear me out, I can explain the finer points of freestyle dancing.”

“Lord Maxwell, if you’ll please allow me to inspect my horse…” King Constantine said, trying not to sound annoyed.

“At least let me recommend some videos.”

Aidan nodded politely. “Father.”

Riley curtsied. “Your Majesty.”

“Aidan.” King Constantine turned, giving Riley a polite smile. “And Lady Riley, who looks absolutely sporting today.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Ready for the ride today?”

“I am now.”

“We’ll see you shortly, then.”

Grabbing the reins, she led Midnight Blossom out of the stables. Maxwell fell in step beside her, looking at her apologetically. “I could only hold the King off for so long.”

Riley smiled. “Not to worry. You did great.”

He beamed. “Yay! I helped out after all.”

“Come on, let’s meet up with the others…” She and Maxwell arrived outside the manor where the Queen, Bertrand, the suitors, and a host of other nobles had gathered.

“And then he demanded a one percent surcharge on all exports from my county,” Madeleine said in amusement to Queen Regina. “As if he was negotiating from a position of strength!”

Queen Regina shook her head slightly. “Merchants can be so fussy sometimes.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow as she watched her arrive with Maxwell. “How are you always the last to arrive, Riley?”

“But look at her horse,” Hana said, admiring Midnight Blossom. “She’s so pretty.”

“The most beautiful horse. Isn’t that right, Midnight Blossom?” Riley smiled, stroking her neck as the mare whinnied happily next to her.

“Is that the horse that won the Derby?” Olivia asked in surprise. “How did you get ahold of that beauty?”

“It’s not polite to ask.” Riley smirked.

Olivia sneered in response. “Hmph.”

The crowd fell into silence as King Constantine and Prince Aidan arrived on horseback. A stream of servants led out horses for the crowd. One approached Riley with a horse in tow. Riley nodded to Midnight Blossom next to her. “That’s quite alright. I already have a ride for today.” The servant bowed and led the other horse away.

King Constantine held his hand up to gather everyone’s attention. “Please join me on this special day when we honor the rich history of those who came before us.” The nobles and suitors mounted their steeds. “Let us ride!”

King Constantine led the group out onto the trail. Soon after clearing through the forest, Riley found herself winding through a mountain trail. Maxwell and Bertrand had fallen behind, looking deep in discussion. At the head of the trail rode Aidan, the King, and the Queen. Madeleine rode next to them as they laughed at the King’s story.

“And that’s how I rescued Aidan from the visiting delegation’s border collie…” he said amusingly.

Aidan shook his head, smiling. “You enjoy that story too much.”

“I wanted to commission a painting of the dog nipping at your heels, but your mother thought it would be too humiliating.”

Madeleine forced out a syrupy, amused laugh. “It’s a _sweet_ story. Tell me more about the Prince when he was younger.”

Olivia rode up alongside Riley, scowling. “I can’t believe Madeleine. She’s playing dirty, using her friendship with the Queen to spend time with Prince Aidan. I want to wipe that smug look off her face.”

Riley glanced at her, knowing full well Olivia would have done the exact same thing if given the opportunity. Still, she was beginning to warm up to the queen of ice, oddly enough. To call her a _friend_ was a bit of a stretch at this point, but perhaps she could eventually wear her down. “Olivia, I agree… it’s unfair. She plays nice, but it’s just an act.”

“Good. I’m not the only one who sees through her.”

“You should give me some credit, Olivia.”

Olivia looked at her, giving her a slight smile. “Perhaps you’re right… Keep your eyes out.” She rode on up ahead of her.

Hana took her place, coming up alongside Riley. “Howdy! You look a little lost there, partner,” she said in her best country accent.

Riley giggled. “You give a girl a horse and suddenly she thinks she’s a cowboy.”

“Well, I know how to ride like one.”

“Oh, of course you do.”

“I also know the English, Mongolian, and Arabian styles of riding. Nothing says aristocrat quite like horse riding skills.”

Riley shook her head, laughing. “Now you’re just showing off.”

“My family made me learn them so I’d be able to impress the different courts around the world.”

“Do you have any _happy_ memories of your family?”

“Once, during a dressage competition, I was thrown off my horse. I landed badly and broke my arm. My parents immediately rushed me to the hospital and stayed by my bed while I recovered. I was certain they were going to lecture me about losing the competition, but instead, they got me ice cream and told me how relieved they were that I was okay.”

“That was sweet of them.”

“It was really nice. I didn’t even mind the broken arm.”

“So, were you one of those preppy horse girls?”

“I looked the part, but I was with the girls who were there because we had to be. Some of the others were _very_ into horses. You’d think they regretted being born human. But I guess you really have to love horses if you want to watch them riding dressage.”

“So… you did something called dressage?”

“It’s actually an old aristocratic tradition meant to strengthen and train horses for war. But now the moves are judged as part of a dancing routine.”

“It’s a sport… with prancing ponies…”

“Exactly! Here, I can teach you a little move.”

“This isn’t going to be too complicated, is it?”

“Hmm… the other horses probably wouldn’t be able to keep up. But this is nothing your horse can’t handle. After all, she’s a champion!” Hana grabbed the reins and steered her horse in a tight cloverleaf formation.

“Ten points.”

“Thank you, thank you. It’s a simple move. You should give it a try.”

“Right… I can do this. Clovers are a symbol of luck…” She paused, staring at her reins, and then looked at Hana. “You know, there are at least ten ways in which this can go wrong. Falling off my horse is one of them.”

Hana smiled encouragingly. “I’ll be here if anything goes wrong.” She tapped Midnight Blossom’s hindquarters, prompting her to move forward. “You can do it, Riley.”

Riley steered Midnight Blossom around in an elegant cloverleaf formation. “Nailed it like a champ!”

“I’d give you a gold medal.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel good.”

“We all deserve to feel good every now and then.” Farther up the trail, Penelope and Kiara gestured for Hana to join them. She waved back.

Riley looked between them. “This is new…”

Hana shrugged. “Since the three of us have fallen out of the running, we’ve become a little friendlier with each other.”

“You’re making more friends!” Riley smiled, happy for her.

“My parents would think of them as political alliances… but in either case, I should pay them a visit. Until next time, Riley.” She rode over to Penelope and Kiara.

Someone behind Riley called her name. “Mason!” Drake waved her over. She slowed her horse down, letting others pass before moving back in line next to him. “There you are. You look…” He paused, his eyes roaming over her outfit. “…uh, very dignified today.”

Riley put her hand to her chest in mock surprise. “Oh my gosh, opening with a compliment?”

“Careful, don’t want you falling off your horse now.”

She laughed, gesturing to the line of riders ahead of them. “I’m surprised you’re out here with all the nobles today.”

“Turns out, I had an opening in my schedule today. And there’s something oddly satisfying about watching nobles fuss over their stuffy blazers.”

“Is this why you’re not frowning… as much as usual, anyway?”

“It has more to do with the company I keep.”

“A _second_ compliment!”

“One more and you win the jackpot.”

“I hope it’s all your whiskey.”

Drake smiled and then sighed. “You know, when we first met, I wanted to dislike you so badly…”

“You _wanted_ to dislike me?” She flashed him a sarcastic look. “I could tell.”

“Heh. I guess I wasn’t subtle about it, was I?”

“Subtle like a freight train. But you never did say _why_ …”

He gave her a look of annoyance. “You were crashing Aidan’s bachelor party! It was supposed to be our last night out together before all of this… We’ve always been like brothers… Now I’m lucky to see him for five minutes without a noble girl throwing herself in front of him.” He frowned, an apologetic look appearing in his eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“I know what you meant.”

“Anyway, I know we got off to a bad start, but somewhere along the way… things changed…” He sighed. “Hell, Mason, I don’t even know why I’m telling you any of this.”

Riley looked at him. “Well, if we’re being honest here, Drake… I wanted to dislike you too.”

“You did?” He seemed surprised. Did he not remember New York?

“Yeah, I mean, you were a total jerk to me! But now…”

“Now?” He looked at her, almost sadly.

“It took time… but I figured out that you’re actually human under all those scowls.” He stayed silent, returning her gaze. She smiled. “You know…once you get past all the grumpiness, you’re a pretty easy guy to talk to.”

Drake raised an eyebrow. “Really? Most people find me unapproachable.”

“I’m not most people.”

“Hmm… guess I haven’t been trying hard enough.” He shook his head, but he couldn’t help smiling. “This has all been touching, but I need to rescue Aidan from his family for a couple minutes.”

Drake rode ahead, leaving her to fall to the back of the line with Maxwell and Bertrand. Riley was barely able to make out the tail end of their conversation, but it sounded heated.

“…Do I make myself clear?” Bertrand demanded angrily.

Maxwell shrank back slightly. “Yeah…”

Bertrand rode ahead, allowing for the two of them to ride side by side. “What was _that_ about?” Riley asked, glaring in Bertrand’s direction.

“Oh, you know, estate things… the consequences of failure and eternal ruination of our family name and fortune…” Maxwell said, staring at the path ahead, not meeting her eyes.

“Oh…”

He took a deep breath and smiled, looking back at her. “Just the usual, really.”

“You seem chipper though…”

“I don’t think we’re going to fail.” He looked back over toward the royal family. “You and Aidan are getting close. Even when he’s busy talking to his family, he sneaks glances back to you.” He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something more, but then he shut it, growing quiet again.

They rode together in silence for a moment. Riley looked at him, trying to gather her courage. “Maxwell?”

He met her gaze. “Yeah?”

“I’m…” She breathed in deeply. “I’m falling for… someone else…” The horrified look on Maxwell’s face stopped her in her tracks. She was not sure what she had expected when she had started to say something. Perhaps surprise? Certainly not _that!_

He couldn’t help the expression that overcame his features the moment those words spilled out. _Someone else?_ Who in the world could she be talking about? _Unless she means…_ He thought back to the night at the country bar, where she and Drake had shared some kind of moment, and he’d had to break the awkwardness by announcing the music was playing. And then just earlier, when Bertrand was getting on his case, he had been watching the two of them enjoying some time together riding side by side. Were they enjoying it _too much_?

She’d noticed he was taking a while to respond, and she was reaching for his hand, which he instinctively pulled away. She moved back, a hurt look in her eyes. “Maxwell… I… I know it may be a lot to take in… I’m… sorry.” She looked down. “I never meant for this to happen… I… I… just wanted you to know that… that I…”

He was just barely coming to terms with her and Aidan. Now someone else was in the picture? He at least had to protect the original goal—make sure her and Aidan stayed together and save the reputation of House Beaumont… for Bertrand. “…What?! No… Riley, _please_ don’t say that! The social season can be a confusing time. It’s easy to bond really quickly with people here throughout the activities… You can’t trust how you might be feeling right now.”

Her expression turned to shock. Was he really saying her feelings weren’t real? That her closeness to him could easily be dismissed to the nature of the social season? She stared down at her bracelet for a moment. Did that mean _he_ was never actually close to her? That he was just obligated to be nice to her no matter what? Was anything about _this_ real? “But…” She trailed off.

“Even if you’re having doubts, you’re here for Aidan,” he insisted.

Aidan. Right. Maybe that was the only thing that was real in all of this. She looked ahead as the trail led them through the mountain pass, using everything she had in her to keep her eyes from tearing up. Confusion and heartache flooded through her as she forced her expression to remain as neutral as possible.

Maxwell glanced over at her, watching as her face struggled through its emotions, and his heart hurt, knowing he caused that. Once again, he was doing what he’d never wanted to do, and that was to hurt her. How he managed to constantly find ways to do that and still be so close to her, he never knew. He didn’t deserve her. She didn’t deserve _this._ He looked ahead, as Aidan glanced back at the two of them, his eyes gazing adoringly at her. She deserved _him_. He cleared his throat quietly. “We’re coming up on our stop.”

Emerging through the other side, they came upon an old mountain village. “Everyone, we’ve reached our hunting lodges,” King Constantine announced. “Our forebears would dine on the day’s hunt here, and though we no longer hunt, we will still have a great feast. But first, we race to celebrate our ancestors…” He waited as Prince Aidan led his mare to the trees across the village. “The first to reach Prince Aidan will be served first at the feast!”

Riley lined up with Hana and the others. “Begin!” King Constantine called out. She squeezed Midnight Blossom, and she thundered down the field, leaving the trotting horses behind. She blazed past a shocked Prince Aidan, winning the race.

King Constantine applauded. “That’s _superb_ horsemanship in action. Servants, prepare the first plate for Lady Riley. Now, then. Let’s all take some time to rest. Dinner will begin shortly.”

All the riders dismounted and let the servants take care of the horses. Through the shuffle, Riley found herself amidst a group of nobles as she searched for her friends. A moment later, her nostrils became invaded by an intense smell, and even some of the people around her began to move back. She looked to find the source of the scent and found herself next to Tariq, who smelled like he’d literally took a bath in five different body sprays.

“Ah, Lady Riley.” He bowed to her, reaching out for her hand and kissing it.

_Oh great. I’ve run into Pepé Le Pew…_ Riley slowly pulled her hand back, discreetly wiping the back of it against her uniform pants. “Tariq?” She smiled politely. “It’s been so long. How was your ride?”

Tariq gave her a cat-like grin. “It was a long journey, but I happen to own a pair of boots as soft as a newborn kitten.”

“They’re not… actually made out of kittens, right?”

He gave an amused laugh. “Hardly. I can only hope your ride was at least half as comfortable.”

She shrugged. “I can’t feel my back, but honestly, I’m fi—”

“Oh! You need extra cushions and a hot bath tonight…” he said, looking at her with a look that made her skin crawl. “I’ll have one of the servants give you my spare cushioned saddle. That’ll help you on the return trip.”

“Um, thanks…” She glanced around, hoping to find at least one of her friends nearby.

“You know, I could recommend you a masseuse… I know _I’ll_ want a massage by the time we complete the return trip.”

_Seriously?!_ “Uh… sounds nice… I guess.”

“Splendid. I’m happy to see that you also appreciate the finer things in life.” He placed a hand on her arm, which she slowly moved back. “You’re certainly impressive.”

“Thanks…” She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she saw Prince Aidan emerge from the crowd. _Oh thank god!_

He tapped Tariq on the shoulder. “Tariq, may I have a word with Lady Riley?”

“Of course, Prince Aidan.” He bowed to her once more. “Lady Riley, I hope our paths cross again.”

_Ugh…_ She shuddered.

“Finding a moment is harder with all these people around,” Aidan said, breaking her thoughts, as his hand affectionately rubbed her shoulder.

Riley smiled, briefly placing her hand over his before they broke apart again. “I’m glad you chose to spend that rare moment with me.”

“Me too.”

“Hey, the feast is being put out,” Drake called out, as he, Maxwell, and Hana joined her and Aidan.

“And they’ve got dishes supposedly blessed by the spirits of the nearby ruins!” Maxwell said.

“Oooh! I’ve heard legends about those ruins!” said Hana excitedly. “They sound magical. People travel from all around just to see them.”

“It’s a shame we’re not scheduled to see them…” Aidan said regretfully.

“We aren’t? I was so hoping to…”

“Why don’t we just go anyway?” Maxwell suggested. “Sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“Are you sure we should?”

“It’d be nice to spend some time together without this crowd around…” Aidan looked at Riley. “What do you say, Riley?”

“Let’s have an adventure!”

Maxwell bounced up and down. “Alright!”

“I’m excited to visit another piece of Cordonian history,” Hana exclaimed.

“Follow me. I know how to get there.” Aidan offered Riley his arm, and he led the group through the valley. They walked through a forest until they broke through a clearing. The old ruined temples rested before them. “Here we are.”

“It’s so beautiful and serene.” Hana smiled, looking at their surroundings.

Drake looked around, unimpressed. “Yep… sure are a bunch of old things here.”

Aidan chuckled. “It’s so much more than that. There’s something so calm about this place. Can’t you sense it?”

“The only thing I sense is about a million snakes and probably a couple of rock monsters getting ready to attack us!” Maxwell got into a defensive position, as if he were about to fight off a group of said monsters.

“Rock monsters?” Hana looked around nervously. “Do you have rock monsters in Cordonia?”

“It was a joke… just forget it.”

“I want to find some ghosts,” said Riley.

Hana’s eyes went wide. “ _Ghosts_?”

“Oooh, maybe one will tell me my future!” Maxwell grinned.

“Or devour your soul…” Drake muttered.

“Drake…” Riley rolled her eyes, then looked at all the ruins standing before them. “I want to take it all in.

“It’s a lot to see.” A flash of color caught Hana’s eye and she began moving toward it.

“I want to get closer.” Aidan headed toward one of the temples.

Drake shrugged, wandering over to a far corner. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s see some old rocks.”

Everyone dispersed toward their own corners of the ruins. Riley found Hana examining a worn and faded mosaic in one of the temples. “Riley, look at this. It’s managed to survive after all these years.”

Riley looked at the cracked, half put-together picture that was left. “Well, survive as much as one can.”

“Isn’t that all any of us can strive for? Think of how beautiful it must’ve been in its time.” Hana ran her fingers over the faded tiles.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This still looks beautiful to me.”

“You’re right. Some things only grow better with age. I’ve visited ruins around where I’m from, and they’re just as beautiful as these. It’s amazing the feats we can accomplish when we work together.”

“Are you proposing we build our own temple?”

“Maybe if there were more of us.” Hana ran her fingers along the mosaic’s stone border. “I wonder if anything I do would last this long. Would I be like this artist? Or maybe I’d have a poem written about me. Though there isn’t much to say about me, I suppose.”

“You could get a poem about your journey. You’ve traveled from a far off land in search of love.”

“I suppose I have. And lucky for me, I found a friend in you along the way. Though… it’s a little foolish to be concerned what others will think about you when you’re dead. You have no control over what survives. Some great archaeological find could be the work of a potter who was just trying to get by.”

“It’s not entirely silly. We want to feel like we did something lasting in our time.”

“Maybe… I could be reading into this too much. Maybe the person who made this was simply bored. Who knows, the artist could’ve been a total jerk.”

“They probably didn’t care what we would think anyway.”

Hana laughed as a cold breeze descended from the mountain, causing her to shiver.

“Somebody’s got the chills.”

“This place could use more insulation.”

“Take it up with the builders.”

“You’re right. Now, where did I leave my ouija board?”

“Oh no… there will be no ouija boards used in old ruins. I’ve seen this movie before.”

“Alright. I’ll just stand by this mosaic and not open a portal to the nine hells.” She giggled.

“Much appreciated.” Riley laughed. She looked around. “I think I’ll go see what the others are up to.” She walked over to Aidan, who contemplatively gazed up at a temple.

“These ruins are amazing,” she said quietly.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” He smiled down at her, putting an arm around her waist. “To be standing among buildings that contain such history.”

“There’s certainly a sense of awe to it.”

“Father likes to remind me of our history… I think as he’s gotten older, he’s become more concerned with his place in it.”

“It probably makes you think, too.”

“It does…” His expression grew thoughtful. “Soon, the crown will be placed on my head, and some historian will record that day as the beginning of King Aidan’s reign. What kind of legacy will I leave?”

“Aidan, you’ll have a great legacy.” She turned and looked up at him, wrapping both arms around his waist. “They’ll build statues of you, write poems, and name holidays after you.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad if I was associated with giving people more holidays and breaks. But I can’t help but wonder… what moniker would they give me? King Aidan the Bold? King Aidan the Wise?”

“King Aidan the Compassionate. You care about your people. They’ll remember you for that.”

Aidan smiled at her. “That’s what I love about you, Riley. One minute, I can feel the weight of all of Cordonia on my shoulders… And then with you by my side, I don’t feel the weight… I feel the _possibility_. I feel capable of anything. I should have known that you’re the only person who could turn all of this around.”

“Aidan… you _are_ capable of anything.”

“Riley…” He cupped her face tenderly, gazing deeply into her eyes. “You make me believe things no one else can.” He leaned down and placed a brief, gentle kiss on her lips. “Tell me, Riley,” he said, searching her eyes. “Is something bothering you?”

Her lips parted in surprise, as she stayed silent, keeping his gaze.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I know our times together have been short this season, so we have not seen much of one another… but I do know this is the first time I have ever seen this look in your eyes.”

“I…” She quickly cast her eyes down.

“Riley?” His hands traced a gentle path from her face, down her neck and rested on her shoulders.

“It’s… it’s just one of those days,” she said quietly.

“Maybe this will help a little?” He brought his strong arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace against him.

The warmth and comfort of him around her was a welcome renewal of strength against the internal turmoil that had been fighting against her heart. She leaned her body into his, allowing his touch to take away the weight of the stress pushing down on her. She reached her hand up, pulling his head down to hers as she pressed her lips hard against his.

As they parted, his mouth dropped to her ear. “Better?” he whispered.

“Yeah…” She leaned her head against his chest. “Guess all I needed was some royal strength.”

He chuckled, tenderly rubbing her back. “Only the best for you.”

She sighed, holding him tightly. “Aidan… I could stay here all night.”

“Me too…” He gave her forehead a quick kiss. “But we don’t want to be missed. We should gather the others soon.”

“I guess I’ll go see where they’ve wandered off to…” She reluctantly released herself from him. “Why don’t you finish enjoying the view?”

“Hard to do when it’s walking away from me…” He gave her an impish smile.

She smiled and walked off to search for the others, soon coming across Drake, who was slumped against one of the tree roots covering a temple. He looked up as she appeared in his view. “Hey, Mason.”

“You look like you’re having a good time exploring.”

He shrugged. “Archaeology isn’t really my thing.”

“You could at least look around. It’s not like you come here often.”

“I looked around. There’s some old buildings. That’s about it.”

“Hmm… don’t you want to know where you come from? And what about insight into how people lived long ago?”

“They could’ve ridden dragons for all I care. It doesn’t mean much now.”

“So why did you come out here if you don’t really care for these sorts of things?”

He sighed, picking up a small rock and tossing it in a random direction. “I don’t think we’re going to get many more times like this.”

“Like what?”

“I mean… Aidan is going to be king soon. And you could very well be his queen. Everything’s going to change.”

“You know… you’re right. We don’t need to associate with the riff-raff.” She put her hands on her hips, dramatically putting her nose in the air. “I mean, really, what could you even provide for us? A sense of grounding and humility?”

Drake rolled his eyes. “I see what you’re trying to do here. It’s not going to work.”

“Or maybe someone to sneak us out of the palace?” She put a hand to her cheek. “Why would we want _that_ when we’re drinking champagne and shaking ambassadors’ hands?”

“Yeah, yeah. Keep punching down.”

“Or maybe we’ll need a reminder that no matter how tough someone may seem on the outside, there’s a big, lovable softie on the inside.”

“Hey!”

She tilted her head, meeting his eyes and grinning humorously. “Come onnnnn, Drake. There’s a smile inside you somewhere.”

Drake attempted to keep his straight face, but failed, a chuckle finally escaping him. “You’re the worst, Mason.”

Riley raised her hands triumphantly. “Would you have me any other way?”

He shook his head. “If you acted any different, I suppose I might have _some_ concern…”

She laughed, then watched his face return to the same wistful expression. “You know, Drake… Aidan’ll make time for you. You’re his best friend after all. Your adventures together are the stuff of legend.”

“They’re more like footnotes.”

“He’s not going to push you out just like that.”

He looked at her sadly. “You don’t know that for sure.”

“This is _Aidan_ we’re talking about.”

He sighed. “I know… it’s just that I’ve seen this play out before.”

“If anyone will be different, it’s Aidan,” she insisted.

“Yeah… if anyone will buck the trend, it’s him.” He was quiet for a moment. “Mason… we may have had some ups and downs between us, but I want you to know that I’ve enjoyed this little adventure with you. Not just the ruins, but the whole thing since I walked into your bar in New York. You’re… you’re not bad.”

She smiled. “Awww, Drake… you’re not so bad yourself. I’m glad to know you too.”

“Mason… I…” He looked at her for a long moment, then shook his head. “You’re something else.”

Riley laughed, offering him a hand to help him up. “Now, we _really_ need to get you out of here before you completely lose it. All this reflecting isn’t healthy for you.”

“You’re right. If I stay much longer, I might melt into a big ball of mush.” He shuddered. “Let’s go find the others.”

Riley nodded in the direction where she left Aidan. “Maybe you two should catch up for a little bit first… since we still have some time left.”

Drake looked down at her with a small smile on his face. “You’re right… we’ll catch up with you in a bit.” He headed off towards the temple where Aidan had been standing.

Riley continued to journey to the other side of the ruins, where she saw Maxwell standing by the bank overlooking the river. He skipped a rock downstream as she approached him. “Not a bad toss…” she said, keeping her eyes on the river.

Maxwell glanced at her, trying to smile. “Five skips is my record. It’s not much, but it’s respectable. Though there was probably some kid who lived here who could skip a stone over ten times.” He handed her a small rock. “Want to give it a try?”

She took the rock from his hand, lifting her eyes to meet his. “Sure.” She returned his awkward smile.

“The trick is to clear your mind and become one with the rock. It is an extension of your will.” He watched as she threw the rock. It skipped across the water seven times before sinking into the river. He nodded appreciatively. “ _Most_ impressive.”

“The student has surpassed the master!” She watched as Maxwell picked up another rock and skipped it across the river. “Maxwell… can we just… talk?”

He looked at her, his heart already beginning to pound anxiously. “About what?”

She sat down on a large flat stone, looking up at him. “I just… I wanted to apologize for earlier. I mean, I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time, and…”

_Whoa… how long has this thing with whoever been going on?!_ He stared at her, continuing to listen.

“…and I know how much it means to Bertrand that House Beaumont gets its reputation restored, but… I had to be honest. I know you told me it may not be real, but with everything we’ve been through, I’m pretty sure what I’m feeling is real.”

He drew in his breath, trying to steady himself. “Riley…” He sat next to her, taking her hand. “I’m sorry if I hurt you earlier when I said that, and I’m not trying to hurt your feelings now… I’m just trying to say that I’ve seen this happen so many times. It’s easy for girls to get close to others and lose focus on the goals of the competition. I think you’re just getting scared as the competition gets closer to the end.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Trust me. You and Aidan belong together. We’ve got this.”

_Did I just get friend-zoned?_ She stared at him, wondering how he could take this so easily in stride. She’d literally admitted it to him, and he’d reacted as if it meant nothing. She sighed internally. Perhaps it was. At least now she finally had her answer.

“How about we try talking about something else?” Maxwell looked down for a moment before looking back up at her.

She stared at him. “Tell me something real. About you.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Maxwell… have you ever _loved_ someone before?”

Maxwell dropped her hand, looking at her in surprise. “Whoa… you don’t play around with these questions, do you?”

“I do not.”

He thought for a moment. “Well, Bertrand’s the more eligible between the two of us. He’s the Duke of Ramsford, after all. I’ve always kind of thought I’d figure things out once he was married. But I don’t think Bertrand’s any closer to getting married…”

“I didn’t ask about _Bertrand_ , Maxwell…”

He stayed quiet for a moment, staring at the ground. “Once,” he finally said.

She looked at the ground with him. “What happened?”

“She was out of my league, and in love with a man ten times better than me,” he said, looking up at her with a sad smile. “I didn’t deserve her.”

“I hate it when you talk like that about yourself, Maxwell…” She frowned.

“Sorry, it’s… it’s just been the way things are…” He picked up another rock and skipped it across the river. “…but there’s no need to dwell too much on it. Any other questions?”

Riley turned her gaze to the river, then looked back at him, deciding to lay off. This talk was getting them nowhere and things were getting more awkward as time passed. “Do you miss the way things were for your house?”

“You mean the wealth, the fame, and the endless parties?” He smirked.

“I guess when you put it like that…”

“I do miss those things, but…” His face grew sad. “I miss Bertrand’s happiness most of all. He took pride in the status and tending to the affairs of our house. He feels personally responsible for our current fall from grace, and it pains him every day.”

“You really care for him.”

“Of course I do. He’s my brother.”

“What was it like growing up with Bertrand?”

“He was grumpy and frowny all the time. Legend has it he was born with a scowl on his face.” He imitated his brother’s scowl almost perfectly.

“Yeahhhh… don’t do that.” Riley laughed and put her hands on his cheeks, squishing his face playfully. “You weren’t serious… right?”

Maxwell giggled, pulling her hands gently off his face. “Yeah, I’m just joking. He always looked out for me, but he also got me into plenty of trouble. But we had a lot of fun. Probably too much.”

“He sounds so different from now…”

He nodded, a pensive expression appearing on his face. “Hardship changes people…” The two of them both picked up rocks at the same time, looking at each other. “Next one with the most skips gets to ask the next question!”

They both threw their rocks in succession. Maxwell’s rock skipped five times, and Riley’s skipped six. “I guess I’m still on a roll here.” She winked, as she thought of something else. “Tell me… why did you decide to sponsor me?”

“I saw something in you that I thought Cordonia needed…” He smiled at her. “Hope.”

“Hope?” She looked at him incredulously.

“Well, the way Aidan looked at you… I’ve never seen him look at anyone that way. And he’s a really good guy. Maybe the best person I know. I think he deserves a shot at being really happy, even if he is the Prince…”

“I know I’ve said this before but… Aidan really _is_ lucky to have you as a friend, Maxwell. You are always thinking of others and trying to make them happy. _I’m_ lucky to have you in my life.” She pulled him in for a hug.

He returned her hug. “I think _every_ one is lucky to know you too, Riley.” He smiled as they parted. “And I know you’re going to come out on top in this.”

“Do you always see the bright side of things?”

He shrugged. “Bertrand thinks it’s a self-defense mechanism. I just like to believe a little, you know. At least, somebody’s got to.”

“I like that about you. Keep on staying positive, Maxwell.”

“I don’t plan on changing.” He looked at the path behind them. “Anyway, we should be getting back soon. I’m sure everyone else is about ready to get going…” He stood up, offering her his hand to help her up. The two of them slowly walked back to the center of the ruins. Drake, Aidan, and Hana joined them a moment later.

Aidan grinned. “That was lovely.”

“There weren’t any ghosts…” Maxwell said sadly.

“Why are you sad about that?” Hana asked.

“I don’t know, I’m kind of curious about what a ghost would have to say. Would’ve made a good story.”

“You can always lie,” Drake said. “I’ll back you up.”

“There’s an idea!”

Riley quirked an eyebrow at him. “Maxwell… you’d lie?”

“Entertaining people is more important than telling the truth.”

“Isn’t all fiction just a form of lying?” Hana pointed out.

“In a way…” Aidan said, somewhat agreeing.

“But at least then you _know_ it isn’t real,” Riley countered.

Hana nodded. “True.”

“Maxwell…” Riley nudged his shoulder. “…do you have any ghost stories?”

“I do.” He grinned mischievously. “But I won’t tell it to _you_. You’ll be a supporting character in the story.”

“Do I survive?”

“No.”

“Aww…”

Drake pointed at her with a mocking grin. “Hah.”

“Drake is the first to die, though,” Maxwell continued.

“Hey!”

“Alright, everyone…” Aidan shook his head, chuckling. “It’s time to head out.”

“These ruins were bigger than I thought,” Riley said, as she fell in step next to Aidan.

“Could’ve used an open bar in my opinion,” Drake mumbled.

“The feast is waiting for us back at the village!” Maxwell said, running ahead of the group. “Let’s go!”

The group walked back toward the smell of food. Riley watched nobles shuffle along a large, medieval buffet table. “Wow… that’s a lot of meat.”

“It’s not exactly a feast without it,” Drake responded, eyeing the large platters.

“A little more fruit couldn’t hurt.” Hana squinted her eyes.

“I wouldn’t mind putting a bunch of fruit on a stake and waving it around like a sword!” Maxwell waved his fork around in the air as an example.

Drake rolled his eyes. “Alright, let’s grab our food before Maxwell gets any other crazy ideas.”

“And then I could wear a watermelon as a helmet… I’d be unstoppable!” As everyone grabbed their food and sat down, Maxwell stood up with his glass in hand. “A toast to all of us and to our friendship.”

Riley, Aidan, and Hana all raised their glasses, smiling in response. “To friendship!”

Drake looked at him in derision, but slowly raised his glass. “Ugh… to friendship.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, after indulging in a sumptuous dinner feast, the group made the return trip to Applewood Manor. After a long journey, Riley spotted the manor’s welcoming window-light through the darkness.

“Thank goodness,” she breathed, sighing in relief. “That was a long ride.”

“For once, I agree with you,” Bertrand said, moaning in pain.

“It was getting dark too,” Maxwell said. “Good thing the last part of the trail had lights.”

“But now I can soak in a tub for the rest of my life!” Riley said, jumping down from Midnight Blossom as she prepared to lead her to the stables.

“Or… until the country jamboree starts tomorrow!” Maxwell grinned excitedly. “Hope you’re ready for another paaarrrrtttyyyyy!”

Bertrand groaned. “This is how I die…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later, after a much-needed hot shower—perhaps longer than she needed but well worth it—Riley sat on her bed, her back flush against the headboard, as she stared ahead in deep thought. Was he right? He _would_ know how these competitions worked better than she did. Was she simply hiding from her fear of losing Aidan by getting closer to Maxwell and mistaking them for romantic feelings?

She got up from her bed, pacing back and forth. His words were screwing with her mind, forcing her to question every interaction she’d ever had with him—every memory carefully and painfully deconstructed and scrutinized for a shred of confirmation that what he had tried to convince her of was absolute truth. She could find nothing. It was real.

Her mind then turned to the next question… what if he was actually shutting her out? His answers to the question of being in love could have been key. A woman in love with someone else. Someone he _thought_ was better than him. The situation leaving him to believe he was undeserving of this woman… It was heartbreaking to think he would ever believe something like this.

A faint knock on the door startled her, and she went to open it. No one was at the door. She looked down the hallway, but no one appeared to be there either. When she looked back, a single red rose was attached by the door handle. Curious, she picked it up, bringing it to her room and opening the small note attached to it. “ _I hope you had a better night. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at the country jamboree._ ” There was no signature. Staring at the rose, she tried to figure out who it might have come from. Maxwell? Seemed out of character… Drake? He seemed to like her enough, but like this? Maybe Aidan? Probably the closest bet… but in secret? Perhaps because they still had to lay low on their relationship until things were confirmed… And he _did_ know she was having a hard day… she thought to herself, as she slipped the flower into some water.

Turning away from the rose, she slipped back into deep thought mode. Part of her told her to stop pushing the subject, to just let it go. The other part wanted to find him and tell him he was wrong. The other part was winning over as she quietly slipped out her bedroom door, heading for Maxwell’s door several feet away. As soon as she reached the beautifully decorated door, she paused, standing there with her arms folded across her chest. She took a deep breath, reaching out to knock, but instead just placed a hand on the door. She sighed softly. “You deserved her,” she whispered. “You deserve everything. It was _her_ who never deserved _you_.” Dropping her hand from the door, she walked back into her bedroom, shutting the door.

Moments later, Maxwell appeared in the hall, just returning from spending time in the stables. It had been a long day, and too many things were swimming inside his mind. His heart was still aching at Riley’s revelation earlier of being in love with someone else, and on top of that, he still felt guilty for how he handled it. On one hand, it was good for House Beaumont. He’d probably said what Bertrand would’ve… only Bertrand would’ve been harsher than that, he was sure.

On the other hand, he could tell he had hurt her, even though she was trying to hide it. Part of him wondered if he, in his subconscious mind, did that on purpose to lash out for the pain that was caused to him. He wasn’t a vindictive man by any means, but he knew when things hurt him, he had a tendency to react in odd, sometimes hurtful, ways. Not that it justified what he had done. She didn’t deserve it.

He stared at her door as he prepared to pass it, wondering how she even still considered him a friend. He knew he was right when he indirectly told her earlier… _I didn’t deserve her._ He pondered checking to see if she might still be awake. But if he did, he wasn’t sure at this point what he would say. He put his hand on her door, sighing softly. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his hand sliding away from the door slowly as he moved away, heading to his room.


	14. An Unexpected Storm

* * *

**WARNING:** _This chapter contains content that may be triggering for those who have experienced stalking/sexual assault. Please skip this chapter if this type of content is disturbing for you._

* * *

**Chapter 14: An Unexpected Storm **

_I’ll be hiding behind your mirror,  
Watching you crimp your hair  
I’ll follow you with sunglasses on  
Don’t think I don’t know what suits you well  
I’ll be looking through your windows at night  
Watching you sleep…  
_ **_(Piebald – “The Stalker”)_ **

Riley woke up to a knock on the door, and she winced at the sun pouring in on her face as she shook herself awake. “Mmph… hang on, Maxwell. Be right there.” She walked over and opened the door, expecting to see his usual excited morning face, but no one was there. Again, there was a rose attached to her door handle. _Another one?_ No note attached this time. She picked it up curiously, bringing it in and adding it to the vase with the other rose.

A moment later, she heard another knock. “Hello?”

Maxwell poked his head in cautiously. “Hey, little blossom. Didn’t know you were up already.” He smiled. “The country jamboree is already underway, if you want to head down.”

“Sure…”

He opened the door further, stepping inside. “You okay?”

“Maxwell… do you know where these came from?” She gestured to the roses. “They keep appearing at my door.”

He looked at them. “It’s not Aidan?” _Or the other guy she’s in love with?_

“I don’t know.” She picked up the note from last night. “This was attached to one of them, and the person never left their name.”

He took the note from her, reading the brief message and studying the handwriting. “Well… it _kinda_ looks like his handwriting, and seems like something he would say…” He looked over at her, smiling awkwardly. “I can always ask him for you… when I catch him alone, that is.”

“Yeah… I’m just curious now!”

“Agent Breakdance on the case!” He saluted her and put the note in his pocket. “Now come on. We should go before—”

“Are you two _still_ here?” An annoyed voice rang out from the doorway. They both turned to see Bertrand scowling at the two of them. “You should have been down there ages ago!”

“On our way!” Maxwell grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled her out the door.

Bertrand and Maxwell led her down the manor’s grand staircase. Nobles walked the halls socializing, eating appetizers, and admiring paintings.

“As you can see, this painting is reminiscent of Rembrandt’s style during the Dutch Golden Age.”

“The still-life declares that the mundane and the everyday are worthy of the status of high art.”

“I wish these had more poodles!”

“To artistic enrichment!”

A group of nearby nobles clinked their glasses together.

“Ohhh, looks like they broke out the drinks early for this event…”

Bertrand glared at him. “ _Focus_ , Maxwell, we don’t have time for party antics.”

Maxwell’s face fell. “But I have so many new tricks…”

Riley looked at Maxwell. “Come on… we both know he would say what’s the point of a party unless you have Prince Aidan securely beside you…”

“Precisely. I’m glad at least one of you is able to stay focused on the objective…”

“ _But!_ I say… what’s the point of a party unless you celebrate like there’s no tomorrow?” She grinned.

“Exactly!” Maxwell high-fived her.

Bertrand scowled. “For House Beaumont, there may very well be no tomorrow.”

“So… perfect time to party?” Riley grinned innocently.

“Hardly. First order of business, make Riley presentable for the country jamboree…”

“I happen to think I’m naturally presentable.” She watched as Bertrand simply raised his one very large eyebrow in response. “But that doesn’t mean I’m above a fine dress every now and then.”

“Today’s events are charmingly rustic… games on the lawn and dinner in the gardens. Find something suitable yet elegant.”

“Off we go.” Maxwell led her to the boutique. “I’m sure we can find something appropriately… _rustic_ here…” He pulled a short floral dress off the rack and showed it to her with a question in his eye.

“That’s perfect! Even Bertrand would approve.”

He handed it to her. “Well… try it on.”

She took the dress and walked into the changing room, trying it on. She added a simple brown belt and a pair of brown knee-high boots to complete the outfit. She walked out of the changing room, striking a pose. “Now we’re ready to turn this from a party to a _country party_.”

“Darn tootin’,” Maxwell said, in a poor country accent imitation.

Riley grimaced. “Probably… don’t say that again.”

He made a face, casting his eyes down. “Yep, knew it was a mistake as soon as I said it…”

The two of them stood in awkward silence for a moment. She could practically see the gears turning in his head as he looked everywhere but her. “Something on your mind?”

His head snapped toward her. “Me? No…” His eyes wandered along her dress for a split second. “Uh… how about you?”

“We’re not… about to get weird again… are we?” She stepped toward him. “Should I not have said anything yesterday?”

“No, I’m… I’m glad you told me. Like you thought, it was a lot for me to think about… you know, what the consequences could be… if you don’t decide to choose Aidan… and…” _…choose someone else…_

“I get it.” She placed a hand on his arm. “You have a lot riding on this…”

“But…” He took a deep breath and smiled. “The one thing I know for sure out of all this is that we’ll always be best friends.”

She could feel her heart literally pause at his words, as she maintained the smile she wore on her face. “Yeah…” she said. “Best friends forever.” She glanced at the exit door to the boutique. “Now let’s rock this place!”

“Party time!”

Riley and Maxwell walked through the manor’s halls. Riley caught sight of Hana absorbed in a phone conversation by the window.

“Yes, I know… No, you’ve made yourself perfectly clear. I’ve tried that… My etiquette has been fine… uh-huh… There’s still time… If I’m being honest, no… No, the prince isn’t likely to choose me…” Hana’s expression waivered between sadness and pure distress.

Riley nudged his shoulder. “Maxwell, I’ll catch you outside…”

“No worries. I’ll see you down there.” He continued down the hallway, leaving her with Hana.

Riley walked up and tapped her on the shoulder. Hana looked over to her. “…Oh! Hello, Riley. I’m just on the phone with my mother. …No, Mom, I’m not ignoring you. Riley just walked over to me… Yes, the one from New York.”

“Your mom knows about me?”

Hana nodded. “My parents follow the Cordonian news.” She turned her attention back to the phone. “Hm? Yes, Mom, I’ve tried gaining the court’s favor… I’ve become friends with Prince Aidan. Right… I’m not here to befriend him.”

“Hana, you’ve been amazing. Nobody here has even _half_ the talent you do.”

Hana covered the phone, looking at her sadly. “That doesn’t mean anything to my parents unless I’m producing results.”

“It’s not always about Prince Aidan, you know. You’re making more friends than you’ve ever had before.”

“I know, but my parents are just going to say they sent me here to marry the prince, not play nice with the other ladies.” She gave a near-defeated sigh.

Riley grabbed her hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. “Listen, Hana… your parents don’t get to dictate _your_ life. You’re your own person, and you have the final say in _your life_.”

Hana looked at her helplessly, her eyes glistening. “You don’t think I’ve tried telling them that? They don’t listen. It’s all about the family and the house with them.” She brought the phone back to her ear, almost rolling her eyes as she repeated the words her mom was saying. “Yes, Mom. I know you love me and only want what’s best for me.”

“Then they should listen to you. If they love you, they need to listen to you when you tell them what’s best for you! No more of this bossing you around.” She made Hana face her, looking at her determinedly. “You’re more amazing than most people I know, and if anyone can handle themselves, it’s you!”

“But…”

“Tell them how you really feel.” She watched as Hana contemplatively looked at her phone, hesitating heavily. “Come on, Hana… you can do it!”

A resolved look settled on her face, and her voice was unwavering as she spoke. “… Mother, there’s more to my life than fulfilling your wishes. I’ve done everything you’ve ever told me to do, and it’s made me miserable. If you really want me to be happy… then you have to let me figure out what that means for _me_.” She immediately hung up.

Riley grabbed her into a fierce hug. “Hana, you stood up to them! I’m so proud of you!”

“I’m proud of me too! That felt… amazing! I can’t believe I stood up to them, I—” Horror overcame her expression. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I said those things to my mother. She’s going to be so furious!”

“You know what… she’ll come around. Just give her some time. You’re not being unreasonable.”

“Maybe you’re right. I need to stay strong, even when she pushes back. It is _my_ life.”

“Exactly.”

“You know… that was kind of nice. Thanks for helping me do that.”

“You had the courage to follow through.”

“There’s strength in numbers.” She smiled happily, looking down the hallway. “Though I think I delayed both of us long enough.”

“The party will survive without us… but not for long.”

“Then let’s get down there.” Riley and Hana headed downstairs and exited the manor.

Outside, Maxwell stood near a large tree, waiting for them. “Riley, Hana, there you are.” He offered them each an arm. “Shall we make our grand entrance?” The three of them walked over to the grounds where nobles mingled on the lawn. The lawn was lively and festive, with a variety of games and activities set up, including croquet, badminton, and archery. “Not bad… could use more music, but… that archery looks pretty sweet.”

“Not to mention dangerous…” Hana added.

Prince Aidan found their group among the crowd and joined them. “Good to see you all. Looks like Maxwell’s set his sights on archery, huh?”

“You think they’ll let me shoot an apple off someone’s head?”

Hana shook her head slowly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

“Heck, I bet I can do it blindfolded! I saw it in a video once.” He ran off toward the archery range.

Riley’s eyes widened. “Maxwell!” Too late. “Oh… I’m sure he’ll be fine. Right?”

Hana looked between Riley and Aidan, giving her a knowing look. “I’ll keep him from hurting anyone. You two enjoy yourselves…”

Aidan smiled. “That’d be appreciated.” He watched as Hana followed Maxwell, who was already asking an archer for a bow. He turned back toward Riley. “Are you any good at playing ring toss?”

“Ring toss? I can beat you with my eyes closed!”

“Let’s see if you can deliver on that promise,” he said, narrowing his eyes playfully. They walked over to the ring toss station, grabbed some rings, and lined up at the tossing line. About twenty feet ahead stood a center peg surrounded by four smaller pegs. “The center peg is worth two points. Peripheral pegs are worth one point. We each get three tosses. So, who should go first?”

Riley gestured to him with a grin. “Hmm… Princes first.”

“Then I shall set the standard.”

“Don’t choke.” She giggled as he smirked at her. He tossed his ring, landing on the outside peg. “Not bad.”

“I’m a bit rusty, but points are points. Your turn.”

She tossed the ring onto the center peg and raised her arms. “Right down the center!”

“You _are_ good at this.” Aidan tossed his next ring onto the center peg.

“Oh no!” Riley put a hand to her face in mock fear.

“That’s more like it. Think you can match that?” he challenged.

She smirked and easily tossed the ring onto the center peg. “You mean… like that?” She winked.

He raised his eyebrows. “Wow… I’m dealing with a whole different level of player.” He stepped up to the line and tossed his last ring. It sailed wide of the pegs, and he groaned. “No! It was so close.”

“Not close enough,” she teased.

“You’ve got one toss left. Use it well.”

Riley took aim and hit the center peg once again. “Bullseye! …Or _pegs_ -eye. Whatever it’s called!”

Aidan laughed. “Excellent aim.” He and Riley surveyed the pegs, counting the points. “I know when to concede to my betters. Well played, Riley.”

“So… what have I won?” She grinned.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a prize for you.”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to do. I’ve always wanted my very own prince.”

“I’m all yours.” He smiled down at her.

“Whatever will I do with this prince I’ve been awarded?” A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.

“Kind things, I hope?” He met her gaze with a heated look of his own.

“You know… this has been fun, but I was hoping for some time… alone with you… We barely had a chance to talk during the Royal Hunt…”

“I’m always hoping for time alone with you, Lady Riley.” He nodded towards the manor. “And there _is_ a hedge maze behind the manor. Secluded. Quiet. Away from prying eyes…”

“Nothing more private than a hedge maze… Do all of your homes have one?”

“What can I say? My family enjoys them.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m not tempted.”

Aidan glanced at the setting sun, frowning. “Of course… we might not be able to go there. The country games are coming to an end, and I’m giving the opening remarks at the dinner that’s to follow…”

Riley shrugged innocently. “Who’s to say the hedge maze isn’t on the way to dinner?”

He shook his head, smiling. “You’re bad.”

“I prefer _efficient_.”

“Uh-huh. Come along then…” Aidan led her around the grounds, and they popped into the hedge maze. He led her through a maze of flower-covered arches. A soft breeze rustled over the hedges, picking up the sweet scent of roses. “That’s better. Somehow when I’m alone with you, I feel so much more like myself.” He picked her up and swung her in a circle. “My _best_ self, perhaps.”

Riley giggled as he swung her around. “ _You’re_ happy today…”

“I’m always happy when I’m with you, Lady Riley… And what about yourself? Do you find yourself enjoying the time we spend together?”

“I enjoy it very much…”

“Good.”

“I think this means we should stay together forever, and make each other very happy.”

“Not a bad idea.”

She leaned against him, looking up at him. “I’d enjoy it even more if you kissed me…”

“You’re always full of brilliant ideas.” Aidan leaned down and sweetly kissed her, his lips lingering on hers before he finally pulled away.

“So… did you have a master plan to woo me here?”

“I thought we’d take a stroll, get lost in the maze, and never find out way out.”

“Ah, so this is all a plan to spend an eternity with me.”

“Precisely.”

“Eternity with you…” She thought for a moment, her eyes not leaving his. “Can’t say that I mind.”

“You’re too good to me.” Aidan smiled happily. “I’ve been thinking about the future… After the Coronation… I’ve been trying to imagine what sort of Queen you might be, if we were to be wed.”

“What sort of Queen…” She looked at him questioningly. “Usually you don’t talk so freely about the future…”

“Maybe today I want to. Riley, I asked you before what you think my moniker would be as king… What do you think yours might be as queen? Queen Riley the Fierce? Queen Riley the Whimsical?”

Riley placed a hand on her hip, flashing him a sultry look. “Obviously, I’d be Queen Riley _The Extremely Hot_.”

An amused look crossed his face. “…So your plan as queen is to stand around and look hot?”

“No, no, I’d do all sorts of things!” She posed for dramatic effect. “But people would look back on all the causes I championed and think, ‘That queen did everything in style.’”

Aidan laughed heartily. “Alright, so what causes are we talking about here? What would Queen Riley the _Extremely Hot_ champion in Cordonia?”

“I would champion…” An impassioned expression crossed her face. “…swift revenge against our enemies!”

Aidan’s eyes widened slightly. “Remind me never to upset you…”

Riley laughed. “You could never. But woe to anyone who dares to move against us!” For a moment, they smiled together, looking into the maze. “Hey, Aidan.”

“Hey, Riley.”

“Will you push me on the swing?”

He smiled. “My pleasure.” Riley sat on the swing, and he gently swung her. “This hedge maze is similar to the one at the palace… but it’s always felt so different to me here.”

“How so?”

“The country manor has a special place in my heart. My brother and I used to come here often as children. The rules were a bit more relaxed here.”

“So you mean you only had formal dinners every _other_ night?”

“Heh. Pretty much. My brother and I were allowed to wear plain clothes and run rampant in the hillside. When we were here, we didn’t have to worry about photographers or curious Cordonians trying to get a glimpse of us. For a short time, at least, we were allowed to just be children.”

“That sounds wonderful… but seems you didn’t get much of a childhood.”

“Outside of this place, perhaps not. We had to learn from an early age not to fidget at courtly dinners and how to impress ambassadors. This was our one refuge. We looked forward to our summers here every year. My brother and I never wanted to leave.” His eyes sparkled with amusement as he recalled the memories. “Once, when I was very young, I hid in the basement when it was time to go. My brother and parents had to search the entire grounds to find me.”

“Aww…”

“I would’ve been in a great deal of trouble… except my brother took all the blame. He told my parents that we’d been playing hide-and-seek and he simply couldn’t find me. So they scolded him for starting a game too close to the time we were meant to leave, but they couldn’t do much else.”

“What a good big brother.”

“He’s always looking out for me. I told him I didn’t want him to get in trouble for it… He told me that he was always in trouble anyway, so a little more didn’t matter. ‘A duck in the pond doesn’t mind the rain,’ he said, ‘it’s already wet.’”

“Heh.”

“Someday, I hope you get to meet my brother…”

“I’d like that.”

“What were _you_ like as a child?”

Riley smiled to herself, thinking of all the mischief she and her ‘brothers’ got into over the years. “I was nothing but trouble.”

Aidan laughed. “You certainly haven’t developed any new appreciation for rules now.” He slowed the swing to a stop. “It’s what I like best about you.” Leaning over, he wrapped an arm around her waist and moved his other hand up to softly tickle her ribs.

She instantly laughed and squirmed against him. “Aidan!”

“Yes?” He grinned teasingly, stopping a moment later.

She giggled, nuzzling against his chest. “Hey… I was having fun swinging. Why’d you stop?”

“It doesn’t feel right pushing you away from me.”

“I come back. That’s the point of a swing.”

“You’ll have to wait. I don’t want to let go of you right now…” He tightened his embrace, pulling her against his chest.

She leaned back into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Looking up, she cupped his cheek and pulled him over, pressing her lips against his. As he pulled away, he laughed. “What are you laughing about?”

“I’m just so happy.” He hugged her tight again.

Riley smiled up at him. “You _do_ seem different today. Lighter, more carefree… And you usually don’t talk about spending eternity with me or even what’ll happen after the social season… you know, just in case the person you choose won’t be…” Her expression grew solemn. “…well… me.”

“I know. It’s just that I’ve been thinking a lot about the decision… and…” He trailed off.

“And?”

“And I shouldn’t say anything official _yet_ … Not until I have the approval of my parents and the court. Which won’t be for a few days. But I want you to know that I can’t _wait_ for the Coronation.”

She leaned back against him, enjoying the feel of his embrace. From outside the hedges, she could hear the echoing chimes of bells.

Aidan turned his head toward the sound. “…And that would be the official signal to end the games and assemble for the dinner,” he said, giving her a rueful look.

“Aww… so soon?” She held his arms to her. “I say we stay here. We’re not playing a game.”

He chuckled. “I sincerely wish we could. But both of us are expected at the dinner, and we should at least make some effort to maintain appearances.”

She looked up at him, smiling. “Will you think of me?”

He smiled down at her, dropping a small kiss on her forehead. “Of course. You’re never far out of my mind.” He helped her out of the swing, offering her his arm. “Allow me to be your escort.”

“More like my guide. I don’t know the way out of here.”

“I’ll lead us out slowly.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being fashionably late…”

The sun had set, and Riley and Aidan rejoined the party to mingle among the gathered nobles. Servants bustled about, keeping the tables freshly stocked with food and drinks. Aidan turned to her, giving a slight bow. “We should blend back into our roles for now. Until next time, Lady Riley.” He disappeared into the throng of people, giving the occasional handshake and bow to those who engaged him. Over by the tables, a couple of suitors talked in hushed voices.

“The King and Queen seemed quite taken with you today, Lady Madeleine,” Kiara said.

“They respect my opinions. And I believe we have a lot in common.” Madeleine gave a smug grin. “I hope I’ll have the support of _all_ the ladies at court if I’m chosen.”

“To tell you the truth…” Penelope sipped her wine slowly. “I think Lady Riley may be the one to be chosen, and I think she’d be a wonderful queen.”

Madeleine huffed. “Well, I suppose you’re entitled to your opinion. What do you think, Lady Kiara?”

“It’s all up to the Prince, isn’t it? And I believe he favors Lady Riley.”

“That’s disappointing to hear, but not entirely surprising. We’ll see how things turn out…”

Riley turned away from them and nearly ran into Tariq, his malodorous stench of amplified cologne following him. _Ugh… Le Pew returns._ “Oh, Tariq… I apologize…”

A sleazy smile appeared on his face. “It’s nothing. Really, Lady Riley, it’s always a pleasure to see you.”

Riley glanced around, not seeing any of her friends yet. “So…Tariq… how’ve you been?” she asked awkwardly.

“As splendid as you look, my dear!”

She took a reflexive step back. “Where’d _that_ come from?”

Tariq put a hand over his heart, smiling dreamily at her. “It came from the deepest recesses of my being. This event can hardly bear a star as bright as yours.”

“Tariq, slow down there,” she said, feeling uncomfortable. “Isn’t it improper to compliment a suitor of Prince Aidan like that?

“I would hardly consider it improper to recognize beauty in _any_ form.”

“Uh, thanks?”

“It fills me with such _joy_ to hear you say that. You know, I have to tell you, after speaking with the other ladies here, I find myself having such an…” He ran an unsolicited finger down the length of her arm. “… _appreciation_ for you.”

She politely pushed his hand away, an unwelcome chill going down her spine. “Really…”

“Yes. You’re a breath of fresh, New York air.”

“I don’t think anyone says that…”

“The other suitors are absolutely boring… One only talks about her dogs. Another merely sulks. And don’t get me _started_ on Olivia.”

“The other suitors… Each have their charms.”

“If they do, I’ve yet to find them. The other suitors have good breeding, wealth, and manners… but they’re absolutely dull. How disappointing.” He stepped closer to her, his eyes focused strongly on her. “Whereas with _you_ , Lady Riley, you grow more interesting every time we speak…”

“Thanks…” She caught sight of Maxwell walking through the crowd and waved him over.

Tariq glanced his way and looked back at her. “I must, however, take my leave. May you have a fantastic evening.”

As Tariq left, Maxwell walked up. “ _There’s_ our little social star… Is that Tariq you were talking to?”

Riley hugged her arms to herself. “Yeah…”

He looked at her, concerned. “What is it?”

“He was acting really weird…” She leaned in closer so no one else could hear. “I’m pretty sure he was hitting on me. He was really laying it on thick.”

“Tariq?” His eyes shot up in surprise. “That can’t be right. I’ve known him forever, and he _never_ makes the first move.”

“It was really uncomfortable, Maxwell…” She frowned.

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Hey, I’m sure it’s nothing. He probably had too much champagne or something.” He nodded his head toward a nearby table. “Come on… Bertrand and I just got a table. This way…”

She followed him silently, slowly pushing away the awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Just as she sat down at the table, she heard glasses clinking. Everyone turned to where Prince Aidan was standing next to the King and Queen.

“If I may have everyone’s attention, please. I’d like to say a few words before we close for this evening.” Aidan raised his glass. “First, I’d like to thank all of you for joining us out here at the country estate. I’ve had the honor and privilege to have you in my court, and I couldn’t have asked for better company. As I step into my father’s place in a few days, I can only hope that I’m half the man he’s been for Cordonia.”

“Long live Prince Aidan!” Maxwell cheered, as cheers and claps rumbled through the crowd.

“Thank you all. When next we meet like this, it’ll be the last event of the social season. As per tradition, this event will be hosted at the illustrious Beaumont House.” The crowd applauded loudly.

“Yeeaaahhhhhhh!” Maxwell shouted, dancing in place.

“An honor, to be sure,” Bertrand said, smiling proudly.

Riley leaned over to Maxwell and whispered, “Maxwell… does he mean _us_?”

Maxwell put his hands over his heart and smiled fondly at her. “Aw, you said _us_! You really _do_ think of yourself as part of our house!”

“Well, yeah… so, we’re going to see your house?”

“The one and only! I can’t wait for you to see it!” His smile was giddy with excitement.

“Aren’t we a little… er… strapped for funds? Can we afford to host a party right now?”

“I’m not sure we have a choice. Like Aidan said, it’s tradition. We can’t back out.”

“Yes.” Bertrand frowned, overhearing the last statement. “If we back out, we might as well announce in the daily paper that we’re officially ruined.”

As the applause died down, Prince Aidan continued. “The Beaumonts will surely give us another legendary night to remember. Until then, I thank you again, and wish you a good night.” Aidan raised his glass. Many in the crowd did the same. “Cheers!”

Riley, along with everyone else, held her glass up towards him. “Cheers!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“This maze sure has a lot of interesting places to hide in,” Riley observed, as she and Maxwell found themselves in another clearing with a small gazebo at the center, surrounded by bushes of colorful flowers.

“These mazes are massive. You’d be surprised at everything you could find.” He stepped inside the gazebo, sitting on one of the benches. He smiled as she sat down next to him. “So… things still going good with Aidan? I notice he seems a lot happier lately…”

“It’s great… _really_ great.” She smiled, leaning back against the bench. “He even talked about the future today… _our_ future… He says he still has to get approval first, but it’s starting to sound like I might actually be the one.”

He literally felt like a hand was crushing his heart. “That’s… great,” he said, forcing out a smile. “I’m glad to see you both so happy.” He pulled her into a one-armed hug. “To be honest, I was a little worried when you said you were falling for _someone else_.”

She pulled back and looked at him curiously. _Did he just refer to himself in the third person?_ “Why is that?” she asked slowly.

“Well, with Aidan being this much in love with you, it would’ve been hard on him with _someone else_ in your heart.”

_Am I supposed to play along with this?_ “Maxwell…” She placed a hand on his knee. “I’m sure no matter what, Aidan would have understood if something were to happen between me and… _someone else_.”

Her gaze on him was so intense, he had to look down. “Well, yeah… but still…” He looked back up at her. “What happened… I mean… what even made you fall for… you know… _someone else_?”

She really had no idea why they were playing this game, or why he seemed to have trouble talking about this directly. Still, it was almost amusing, so she decided to continue playing along. “Well…” She smiled. “He is the sweetest person I know… charming, funny, supportive, affectionate, a great friend…” Her eyes sparkled as she looked at his captive expression. “…and he always has the most interesting things to say. I can never get enough of him.”

The way she was looking right at him, it made him feel like she was speaking right to him. _If only…_ “Wow…” he said, unconsciously rubbing the back of his neck. “Sounds like a pretty great guy.”

“He is.” She nodded, giving him a rueful smile. “However, when I finally told him how I felt, he only wanted to stay friends, so…” She turned her gaze to the ground.

He glanced at her, moving his hand over hers on his knee. _What idiot would reject_ her _?_ “I’m sorry, Riley…”

She looked back up at him. “Don’t be, Maxwell. I’m okay with it. Really.” The two of them sat quietly for a moment, watching the stars through the roof of the gazebo. “Oh, speaking of friends…” She pulled her hand back, reaching into a pocket in her dress as he looked on curiously. “You gave me a friendship bracelet… and the rules of friendship bracelets say that _both_ friends should have one, so…” She took hold of his arm, tying a small blue bracelet around his wrist. “I’m not as intricate on design, I’m afraid… but I made it with your house colors, and I found a squid charm in the boutique before I’d left for the hunt the other day…”

Maxwell smiled at the small blue bracelet on his arm, looking closely at the squid that had been carefully woven into the strands to hold it in place. “This is _so_ awesome, Riley!” He held his bracelet to her blossom one. “Best friends forever?”

She beamed, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Best friends forever.” They sat in companionable silence for several moments. “We should probably get some sleep,” she said, finally breaking the silence. “Don’t we have to leave early tomorrow?”

“Yeah…” He nodded. “But I’ll be fine. I think I’m gonna hang out here a little longer.”

“All right then… good night.” She squeezed his shoulder affectionately as she stood up, heading out of the gazebo.

“Riley?”

She turned. “Yeah?”

“For what it’s worth… that _someone else_ … you shouldn’t worry about him… He probably doesn’t deserve someone as amazing as you.” To his surprise, she stepped forward, anger flashing in her eyes.

“Don’t you _ever_ say that again, Maxwell Beaumont.” She grabbed him by his shirt, fisting the cloth in her hands as she pulled him up to face her, their faces just barely inches apart. “Just _don’t_.”

His eyes trailed down to her lips, then back up to her eyes. “All right…” he replied softly, putting his hands over hers.

She released her hold, backing away with saddened eyes. “The ending choice was to stay friends, and I’ve accepted that. But don’t ever tell me that we never deserved each other.”

He nodded silently.

“Good night, Maxwell…” She turned and disappeared into the hedges.

Several moments later, he suddenly remembered something. He pulled out his phone and began to text her.

**Maxwell:** I spoke to Aidan earlier tonight.

**Maxwell:** He never sent the roses. 🌹🌹

**Maxwell:** But he says he’ll have Bastien look into it for you.

**Maxwell:** Just let us know if you get any more of them.

**Maxwell:** Better yet, if you see another one, don’t go in your room.

**Maxwell:** Just call me. Or Drake. Or any of us. We’ll find you.

He waited for a response. Nothing. Not even a _‘read’_ notification. He looked in the direction of the manor, a sense of dread filling him. Should he have gone with her?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Riley came up on her bedroom door, she found yet another rose attached to the door handle. This time, it held another small note, which she opened to reveal a brief message. _You looked stunning tonight. I hope we will see more of one another at the next stop._ Again, no signature. It was really odd. She brought it inside and placed it into the vase with the other two roses.

She pulled her phone from her dress and saw the battery had gone dead. She walked over to her side table, finding the charger and plugging it in. A moment later, she heard the tell-tale notification sound that she had messages waiting. _Guess I’ll check those in a moment…_

She reached into her dresser, pulling out a tank top and a pair of sweatpants to change into. She kicked off her boots and pushed them to the side. Next, she removed her belt and finally her dress. She was reaching up to unclasp her bra when she heard her bedroom door suddenly open. She gasped loudly, failing miserably to cover herself with her arms, as the dark figure standing before her slowly shut the door behind him and eyed her up and down.

“Good lord… What do we have here…” Tariq stepped into the moonlight, his eyes darkened with lust. “Lady Riley… disrobing in my room… what a forward gesture!”

As he moved closer, she could smell the strong odor of his overdone cologne mixture. She found herself frozen in shock, unable to move. “ _Your_ room? But… but this is _my—_ ” She tensed visibly as he placed a finger over her mouth to silence her.

“Please, don’t misunderstand. I’m not upset…” He looked down at her, trailing his finger from her lips across her jaw, giving her an impious grin. “I’m just surprised. I _suspected_ , but I never thought this would happen so soon…”

She shuddered at his touch, moving back as she tried to regain her voice. “Tariq—”

“I take it you liked my roses?”

She suddenly felt like throwing up. “Wait… _you_ were sending me those?”

“Of course. An impressive woman such as yourself deserves only the most beautiful of flowers.” He closed the distance between them again. “I made sure the front reception had them sent to you every morning and night since the hunt.”

“Tariq, wait…” She put her hand up to stop him from coming closer, but instead, he grabbed ahold of it, placing it onto his heart.

“No, I must say this!” His hold on her was tight, unwilling to part with her. “Your feelings are most ardently returned. You’ve thoroughly enchanted me, just as you enchant everyone you come across… and now I know you feel the same way about me.”

_This man is completely deranged!_ “Tariq—” Before she could say anything further, Tariq leaned in to kiss her. “Wait, Tariq, _no!_ ” She pushed against him, but he pushed harder, as his lips came in contact with hers. _Ugh!_ Her teeth bit down hard against his bottom lip, and a yelp escaped him, as he jumped back, holding his mouth.

A trickle of blood ran down the corner of his mouth as he removed his hand and stared at her, a sinful smile growing across his face. “I didn’t realize you liked it rough, Lady Riley.” He moved swiftly against her once again as she let out a scream, putting an arm in front of her face to protect herself. He grabbed her wrist forcefully and shoved it away, holding it down as he took her neck in a strong grip. He leaned in to kiss her once again. “I must admit, _so do I…_ ” he whispered against her.

“ _No_!” Struggling against him, eyes wide in terror, she tried to find the strength to scream again. _Somebody help me!_

As if her thoughts were heard, her bedroom door was abruptly thrown open, and her eyes flew to the doorway to see Drake standing there, his eyes filled with a deep fiery rage that she had never seen in him before. “Get away from her!” he growled, storming across the room and grabbing Tariq by the shoulder, trying to pull him away from her.

Tariq, still having his tight hold around her neck, pulled her down to the floor as he was pulled away, his hand leaving long, painful scratches along the side of her neck. She quickly slid herself across the floor towards her bed, moving out of the way, and held her neck, wincing. _Does this guy ever cut his nails?!_

“Unhand me!” Tariq demanded. “How _dare_ you enter my room without my permission!” He hit Drake squarely in the face. Drake reeled back for a split second, then let out another growl, tackling him to the floor. They grappled intensely for a moment before they rolled apart, staring angrily at each other. “Who the _hell_ do you think you are bursting into my room?”

“This is _Riley’s_ room, you idiot!” Drake retorted, putting himself between Tariq and Riley. “And I heard a scream. I think she _wanted_ interrupting.”

Finally finding her voice again, Riley walked over to stand beside Drake, glaring at Tariq. “Drake, Tariq _deserves_ to have his ass kicked.”

Tariq stared at her in shock. “So this _isn’t_ to be the bold, romantic beginning to our love story?!”

_Are you kidding me?!_ “ _No_.”

“So, there’s no hope, is there?”

“You _really_ don’t understand the concept of ‘ _No_ ’, do you?”

“But… I’d heard…”

Riley clenched her fists, about ready to hit him herself. “You heard _wrong_. And for the record, before you try to kiss someone, _ask_ first!”

“…Let me deeply apologize here. I’m so sorry for this transgression. I was incredibly wrong.” Tariq actually appeared genuinely embarrassed. “Now, before I can humiliate myself any further… let me take my leave…”

“Just… get… out.” She watched heatedly as Tariq left and Drake slammed the door shut after him. Her fists clenched tighter as her eyes fell on the roses sitting in the small vase on the table near the door. Before Drake could react, she flew over to the table, grabbing the vase and hurling it against the wall with an agonized scream. The vase shattered into several pieces on the floor, the roses lying amidst the broken shards and fragments. She sunk to her knees, breathing hard and shaking, staring at the remains.

Drake carefully walked toward her, kneeling down to her. “Mason…”

She continued staring at the roses, speaking as if she were in a trance. “He sent those to me… one by one… He’d been _talking_ to me… _following_ me… _watching_ me…” She rubbed her arms vigorously, as if she couldn’t get the essence of him off her fast enough.

He reached out to touch her shoulder, but drew back as she instantly flinched at his touch. “He’s not going to hurt you anymore,” he said gently, a determined look in his eyes. “I’ll make sure of that.”

She let out a shaky breath, feeling her body release some of the tension it had been holding. “…Drake… what took you so long?” she joked weakly.

“I’m in the room next to yours, but it still took me a minute to make it over here.” He looked at her, concern now filling his eyes.

“You’re in the room next to mine?” When did _that_ happen?

“Of course. Aidan made sure of that. Since he couldn’t be here himself, I mean.” He slowly held out his hand, which she accepted after a moment, and he helped her stand up, moving her away from the broken vase. “Watch the glass…”

She shook her head, partly smiling as she hugged her arms to her. She looked up at him. “Drake… thank you.”

“Aw, shucks, Mason. Don’t go getting soft on me now.”

“I mean it.” She shivered. Whether it was from the encounter or the cold, she wasn’t sure yet. “You were there when I needed you.”

“I’ll _always_ be here for you… I mean, for Aidan’s sake, of course. Aidan would never forgive me if something… bad… happened to you.” He rubbed the back of his neck, looking over at her sadly. “And you know what? I’d never forgive myself either.” He paused for a second, his eyes lingering on her. “Er, Mason…” He blushed, quickly looking down at the floor.

“What?” Looking down, she realized she was still only dressed in her underwear. “ _Oh!_ ” She quickly grabbed the tank top and sweatpants she was going to change into and put them on, wrapping her arms around herself once more.

“Anyway, you can see why it looked bad. I heard a scream, saw you half naked with Tariq all over you…”

“Yeah, I get it,” she snapped, covering her mouth as soon as she heard herself. “…Sorry.”

“Are you okay?” He stared at the fingerprint bruises starting to form on her wrist, feeling angry at himself for not getting there sooner.

_Game face… He doesn’t need to see how scared you really are…_ “I’ll be fine.”

He backed up slowly, almost hesitant to leave her there alone after watching her momentarily break. “Well, I should get out of here before we _really_ cause a scandal.”

As Drake headed to the door, she could see him wince. Protective instinct kicked in over her fears, and she moved toward him, reaching her hand out for his arm. “You’re hurt…”

He looked down at her, smiling softly. “Nothing a few shots of whiskey won’t fix.”

“Let me take a look. It’s the least I can do.”

“You trying to get me to take my shirt off, Mason?” he joked.

“I… just want to help,” she said quietly, no trace of a smile.

_Right. Not in a joking mood. You’re an idiot, Walker._ He sighed and patted her shoulder affectionately. “I’m fine. Save your fussing for someone else.” He turned again to leave.

Riley moved to stand in front of the door. “Drake, you got hurt for me. I’m not letting you leave this room until you let me take a look at you! You can start by taking off your shirt. I think he hit your ribs pretty hard. They could be broken!”

Drake stared down at her, raising an eyebrow. “Wow, you’ve got a real bossy side to you, you know that?”

“You think I’m being bossy? Drake… Shirt. Off. Now.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely…” He smirked, rolling his eyes and removing his shirt. He inhaled sharply as her hands moved over his ribs and along his back, sending a chill down his spine. “So, doctor…” he said, trying to ignore it. “…Do you see anything alarming?”

She looked up at him, removing her hands. “You’re going to have a few spectacular bruises…”

He chuckled. “Yeah, Tariq hits harder than you’d think. He _almost_ impressed me.”

Riley let out a small smile. “I can’t believe _you_ lost a fight to Tariq!”

“I didn’t say I _lost!_ ” He narrowed his eyes at her good-naturedly. “I never said that. I definitely won. I’m just saying he got in some good hits. And I didn’t expect that from a palace brat.”

“Mmhmm…” She stared at his bruises again, then down at her arms, quietly folding them against her again.

“What is it?”

“Just… I can’t believe you got hurt because of me…” Her voice was getting quieter. “It’s all my fault…”

“No, I got hurt because of _Tariq_. Nothing that happened tonight was your fault.” He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, moving his head down to face her. “Don’t _ever_ let yourself think like that, okay, Mason?” She stared at him silently, her eyes filled with guilt. “ _Okay?_ ” She looked down, nodding slowly. He ran his fingers through his hair and stared at her, then reached up to touch the skin above the scratches on her neck. “Shouldn’t you be taking care of this?”

Riley twisted away slowly, not looking at him. “I’ll deal with it later.”

“You’re bleeding, Mason.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s _not_ fine. C’mere…” He took her hand and had her sit down on the bed. “Just wait here.” He ducked into the bathroom, coming out a moment later with a warm, damp towel. He sat next to her, tenderly placing it against her neck. “How’s this?”

“Wet.”

He rolled his eyes. “You can be so…” He shook his head, smiling slightly. “…never mind.” He pulled the towel away, checking on the scratches. “Should heal fine.” He felt her lean against him, and he looked down as she reached her arms around him. He slowly enveloped her into his own strong arms, noticing she was still shaking. “Mason…”

“He wouldn’t stop, Drake…” she whispered. “Why didn’t he stop?”

“I wish I had an answer to that, Mason.” He sighed and hugged her closer to him. “But I promise you, he will never get near you again. Not if I can help it.” He rubbed her back soothingly as the two of them sat in silence for several moments.

She finally moved back, taking a deep breath. “I’m okay.”

“Sure?” He looked at her uncertainly.

She nodded, forcing a small smile. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

Awkward silence.

He watched her trying to keep a brave face. Obviously time to change the subject. “Hey…” He nudged her affectionately. “Weren’t you supposed to be tending to my wounds?”

“Oh! Right…” She stood up quickly, walking towards a corner of the room. “I think one of the servants fills this bucket with ice every night. You know, just in case I need to chill some champagne…”

“Or ice down a friend’s bruises…”

“Exactly.”

“And it looks like someone’s left a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the corner here, so…” As Riley wrapped a handful of ice in a cloth, Drake poured a glass of whiskey for himself and looked at her questioningly, raising the bottle. She nodded, and he poured her a glass.

“I wouldn’t make you drink alone…”

“Heh.” He smirked, handing it to her. “Thanks.” He downed his glass as she sat behind him and pressed the cloth filled with ice to his bruises. He winced and shrank away from it. “Hey! That hurts.”

“I’m barely touching you.”

“I’m just saying, it hurts.” He winced again as the ice was pressed against him once more. “Ouch!” He reached back and caught her hand. He locked eyes with her, and for a second, he saw a flash of terror flicker across them. Startled, he let her go immediately. “Mason, I… I’m sorry… I…”

“It’s okay,” she said quietly, looking down at her hands.

“No. It’s not.” He turned to face her. “I don’t ever want you scared of me.” He held his hand out to her, and she put her hand in his, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. “You’ve never had a problem speaking your mind around me, Mason. Don’t start now.”

A slight smile formed on her face as she held up the cloth with ice with her other hand. “Quit stalling, Drake… we need to ice those bruises.”

“Heh.” He smiled. “You’re in charge.” He turned back around, the muscles on his body already tensing in anticipation for further discomfort.

She gently applied the ice against his ribs, looking up at him for a reaction. “Is that any better?”

“…Actually, yeah.” His body visibly relaxed at her touch. “Didn’t realize you could be so gentle, Mason.”

“I’ve got a gentle side… you just don’t see it very often.”

“I could stand to see more of it.” He turned and caught her eye, staring intently. After a second, he looked down. “Thank you.” He looked away and poured himself another finger of whiskey. He took a sip, then turned to look back at her. “Are you… _really_ okay?”

“I’m fine, Drake.”

“I had to ask.” He exhaled deeply, looking into his whiskey glass before taking another sip. He glanced back over at her. “I know I don’t act very grateful for anything most of the time, but I do… care about you.”

She narrowed her eyes, a smile forming on her face. “I _knew_ it!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t go telling everyone. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

“But there’s something I don’t get.” She adjusted the ice cloth to another area of his ribs.

“What? I’m in an honest mood, so just go ahead and ask.”

“It’s just… you always seem to push me away. I mean, really, most of the time you act like you hate me.”

“I do not.”

She side-glanced him. “…Drake.”

“Okay, I do, don’t I?” He sighed heavily. “It’s not personal. It’s just… easier that way.”

“Easier? How?”

“You’re here for Prince Aidan. All of the suitors are. And, well, so is the entire court. All of the nobles, all of the royals, all of the servants, even. Everything and everyone in this place exists to orbit around Aidan. You could almost hate him for it, if he weren’t so damned likeable. It’s dangerous for people like you and me to forget that.”

“What are you getting at, Drake?” _You know damned well what he’s getting at._

“Hell, Mason. Don’t make me say it.” He looked down at his whiskey, finishing off the glass with a gulp. “If we’d met somewhere else… _anywhere_ else. At a club in New York, or in an airport, or at a party… if you hadn’t been our waitress that night, and I hadn’t been sitting next to Aidan… Do you think all of this… do you think it could’ve been different… between us?”

He'd finally said it. She stared closely at him. Did she think things could have been different, he’d asked. Would he still have been the gruff person she knew today? Probably. Would she let him get away with a little more? Definitely not. But everything else? Would it have been different? She really couldn’t say for sure. Maybe it wouldn’t have been different at all. Or maybe _everything_ would have been different. There was no real answer to this question except what she knew now. This was not a case of what-if. This was not different. He was her friend. Actually, he was starting to feel more like a brother to her. But romantic feelings? Nothing there. She put a hand on his arm. “Drake… I’m here for Aidan.”

“I know.” He looked away. “I’m sorry. I…” He ran his hand through his hair, feeling frustrated with himself. “What am I doing? I need to go.”

“Drake…”

“You’ve been through enough tonight, Mason. You don’t need to be dealing with _this_ on top of it.” He shook his head, standing up, and headed toward the door.

Riley picked up his forgotten shirt from the bed. “Um… I think you’re forgetting something.” She walked over to him, holding it up.

“Oh, right.” He took the shirt from her, pulling it back on quickly.

She stepped back. “You’re losing your edge, Drake…”

He gave her a pained look. “You have that effect on me. And just to be clear, I don’t like it.” He opened the door, preparing to leave. “And for all our sakes, lock your door this time…” He paused at the door, examining it with curiosity and confusion. “Huh.”

“What is it?”

“Mason… there’s no lock on your door handle…”

“I thought they were all like that.”

“No.” He frowned. “All of the other rooms on this floor lock…” He shook his head. “It’s probably nothing.”

“Probably?” A worried look flashed across her face.

“Just… be careful, okay?” With one last look at her, Drake left. As soon as he was outside the door, he looked back. The storm was not over for her yet, and he knew it. Once that adrenaline rush was gone, it was going to be a whole different level. She was going to need more help soon enough. He slipped into his bedroom, pulling his forgotten phone off his bedside table.

**Drake:** Hey. Meet in my room as soon as you can.

**Aidan:** On my way.

**Hana:** Everything okay? 😮

**Drake:** No.

**Maxwell:** Did you run out of whiskey again, Drake? 🥃🥃

**Drake:** This is serious, Maxwell. It’s Mason.

**Aidan:** What happened?

**Drake:** I’ll explain everything when you get here.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_New York…_ **

Daniel felt his phone buzzing as he’d finished delivering several platters of food to a small group of people. He made his polite exit and discreetly pulled his phone out, his eyes widening when he saw the caller ID. “Hey, Brandy! Cover for me for a few minutes? Thanks!” He immediately walked into the kitchen, answering the phone. “Riley?” The other end of the call was silent. “Riley, are you there?” Carl turned from the stove, looking at him inquiringly. Daniel shrugged helplessly, calling for her again. “Riley?”

“Daniel…” she answered quietly.

“Riley!” He gripped his phone worriedly. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“No… I just…” She drew in a shaky breath. “I just needed to hear your voice…”

“What’s wrong, Riley? This doesn’t sound like you…” He slowly sat down. “What happened?”

“I can’t… I…” Her voice broke. “Please, just… stay with me…”

“I’m right here…” he said quietly, looking over at Carl, who looked back at him tensely. “I’m not going anywhere, Riley…”

Brandy poked her head in through the door. “Hey Daniel? Still needing some cover? Table Three’s looking to order dessert.”

Carl spoke up as Daniel opened his mouth to answer. “Daniel’s out until further notice,” he said, staring solemnly at him. “Family emergency.”

“Riley?” Brandy’s eyes widened as she nodded in understanding. “Take all the time you need. Tell her we miss her out here.”

“Thanks, love.” Carl winked at her.

Daniel put a hand over his phone. “Whatever tables you take over, I’ll totally split the tips with you.”

“Don’t worry about it, Daniel. I got this.” Brandy disappeared from the doorway.

Daniel looked back at Carl as he turned his attention back to his phone. Thankfully, it was Rick’s night off, and Carl was in charge for the night. He couldn’t imagine how this would have gone if Rick was around… Okay, not true. He knew _exactly_ how it would have played out. Rick would have seen him on the phone with Riley and chewed him out. Then Carl would have gotten into it with him. Rick would have threatened to fire him _again_. Carl would call his bluff and then threaten to quit _again_. The two would have a tense standoff, and then Rick would give in, walking away in a huge huff. He shook his head. He listened to the other end of the line, where all he could hear was Riley breathing. “Riley?”

“Yeah…”

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“He… he hurt me, Daniel…”

He felt sick to his stomach. “Who hurt you, Riley?” Carl’s head snapped toward him, his eyes flashing with fury. The other end of the line remained silent. “Riley?” No answer. “Riley, please… tell me what happened.”

**_Cordonia…_ **

The sound of Daniel’s voice seemed far away to her now, as she slowly dropped her phone, staring ahead in terror. The impact of what had happened was hitting her completely. Her body was shaking uncontrollably as she hugged her knees to her chest, her breathing becoming more rapid. What if Drake hadn’t gotten there in time? What if Tariq had gone further than he had? What if… _what if?_ She couldn’t stop the imagery from replaying over and over in her mind. She could still see him in the room, feel him around her, hear that lustful tone in his voice, smell that awful cologne… oh god, it was still _on_ her! She had to get _him_ off her. She stumbled her way towards the bathroom, ripping her clothes off along the way.

**_New York…_ **

“Riley!” Daniel stared at the phone, the line still unresponsive. He looked over at Carl helplessly. “What do I do?”

“You stay with her,” Carl ordered. “That’s your job tonight.” He tried not to show how worried he was for Daniel’s sake. “You don’t hang up until _she_ hangs up. Got that?”

Daniel nodded slowly, keeping his ear to the phone. _Come on, Riley… please be okay…_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Cordonia…_ **

Aidan’s eyes darkened and his fists clenched tightly as Drake finished explaining to the group what had happened. “Where is he now?” he demanded.

“I’m not sure where he was assigned, but he ran off pretty quickly once Riley turned on him,” Drake said.

“How is she?”

“That’s what we’re about to find out. She was fine when I left her, but…”

“Right… she was in shock then.” Aidan frowned. “What’s the plan?”

“I think I should go in first,” Hana said quietly, as the three men turned to look at her. “I know all of us are her friends and want to make sure she’s okay, but in light of the attack, well…”

“Hana’s right,” Aidan agreed. “Riley might do better with a female friend first. That is probably the best approach to start with, so we know what we’re dealing with.”

Hana pulled her phone out. “Everyone have their phones?” Aidan, Drake, and Maxwell pulled theirs out. “Good. I’ll contact you if everything’s okay in there.” She quietly slipped out the door, softly making her way toward Riley’s door.

She knocked and waited. No response. She knocked again. Nothing. Slowly, she opened the door and peeked her head in. “Riley?” The room was dark, minus a small patch of moonlight streaming through one of the windows. She walked inside, finding the lamp next to the bed and turning it on. Her stomach turned as she looked around the room—the site of the roses laying amidst the broken shards in the corner near the door, a towel with some blood on it sitting on the bedside table, Riley’s discarded clothes all across the room… She cautiously moved forward. “Hello?”

“Hello?” a faint voice called out. It was male.

Her eyes widened as she backed toward the door. “Who’s there?”

“Riley? Is that you?”

She followed the sound of the voice, finding that it was coming from Riley’s phone, still on its charger and forgotten on the bed. She picked it up, reading the caller ID on the screen. “Daniel?”

“Yeah… who is this?”

“It’s Hana.”

“Hana, hi! What’s going on over there? Is Riley okay?”

“I’m finding that out right now.”

“Do you know what happened to her? She called us but couldn’t say much before she just… stopped talking.”

“Us? I’m guessing the other one’s listening too then, isn’t he? The one that Riley’s always saying is overprotective?”

She heard a chuckle over the phone, then a deep voice replying, “You guessed right, sweetheart.”

“Okay, well, I won’t tell you to _not_ be furious about this… in fact, I wouldn’t blame you… but can you take my word that she’s in good hands now?”

“I’m listening…”

She took a deep breath. “There was someone at the court who had his eye on Riley. He found his way into her room tonight.” She could at least one of them breathing in sharply at her words. “From what we understand, he came onto her, and she started screaming. That’s when Drake heard her and immediately went to her room. When he saw what was happening, he pulled him off her and got into a big fight with the guy. The guy left soon after.”

The other end of the line was quiet for a moment. “Was she hurt?” Daniel finally asked. “Riley said someone hurt her…”

“Drake said she had some scratches and a little bruising, but nothing big. The more important thing we’re trying to find out now is how she’s doing emotionally. Drake, Aidan, Maxwell, and I are all here for her right now.”

“Good. She needs someone there with her…” Carl said slowly, obviously trying to maintain control of his temper. “If it had been me, I’d have murdered the son of a bitch… but all the same… tell Drake thank you.”

“I will… but I’m pretty sure he feels the same way.”

“I knew I liked him.”

“Well, I should go. I need to check on her… I’ll tell her to get in touch with you again. I promise we’ll take good care of her.”

“We appreciate it, sweetheart. We’re glad she has friends over there she can count on… especially when there’s only so much Dan and I can do from here.”

“Tell her we love her!”

“I will. She’ll be in touch. Good night…” She disconnected the call, setting the phone on the bedside table. She turned and followed the trail of Riley’s clothing to the bathroom where she could hear a steady stream of water flowing. She knocked on the door. “Riley?” She didn’t hear a response. Ignoring the sick feeling in her stomach, she slowly opened the door, immediately becoming engulfed in a giant cloud of steam. She backed away quickly, almost choking. “Riley?!” As soon as the steam cleared up, she moved into the room, finding Riley huddled in the corner of the bathtub as a hot stream of water poured down on her. “Riley…” She rushed over to her, immediately turning off the water and grabbing a towel nearby. She sat next to her, lifting her face up. “I’m right here,” she said softly. “Stay with me.”

Riley stared vacantly at her, her voice seeming far away as she spoke. “I couldn’t get him off me, Hana… I could still smell him on me…” Her hands began to shake again.

“Shhh, it’s okay, Riley… you’ve cleaned it off. He’s long gone now.” Hana took hold of her hands with the towel and gently dried them off. “Your friends are here now.”

Recognition started to light up in her eyes. “Hana…”

“Yes, Riley…” She stood, slowly patting down her legs. “And Aidan, and Maxwell, and Drake… we’re all here.”

She looked toward the door. “…They’re here?”

“Well, it’s just me right now. The boys aren’t going to come in unless you say it’s okay.” She gently wrapped the towel over her, covering her up. “Do you want to see them?”

Riley hugged her arms close to her and nodded silently.

“Okay. I’ll call them in… Can you stand?”

She held her head, feeling dizzy. “I don’t feel so good…”

“Stay right there then. We’ll help you.” She walked out the door, calling them on her phone. A moment later, they all met her inside the room. “Aidan, you know how to keep a calm expression better than anyone here. You can help me with this.” She looked at Drake and Maxwell. “You two wait here. We’ll be right out.”

Aidan followed Hana into the bathroom, and his heart nearly broke at the sight of Riley laying in the bathtub, when just hours ago the two of them were laughing together in the hedge maze. _Calm_ , he remembered. _Look calm._ He strode over to the tub, kneeling down to her and lightly stroking her hair. “Hey…”

She lifted her head, her eyes lighting up slightly. “Aidan…” She reached for his hand. “I… he…”

“I know.” He took her hand, kissing the back of it gently. “And you have my word that he will _never_ get near you again. I’ve informed Bastien to look out for him already.” He leaned his arm in, wrapping it around her waist. “Put your arm around me. We just need you to stand long enough so Hana can secure your towel.”

Riley nodded and held onto him with one hand and the towel in the other as he slowly lifted her into a standing position. Hana appeared on her other side and secured the towel around her. Aidan then swept his other arm underneath her legs, picking her up. She leaned her head into his chest as he carried her out toward the bedroom. He’d barely made it out a few steps when she began to start crying, halting him in his tracks. He held her tightly to him, motioning for the others to join him. Maxwell, Drake, and Hana joined their arms with his, forming a big group hug around her, not moving until her tears finally subsided several moments later.

Aidan then sat down at the edge of her bed, holding her onto his lap as she continued leaning against him. “Everything’s going to be okay, Riley…” He rubbed her arms soothingly. “We got you…”

Drake and Maxwell made their way over, sitting on either side of them. Hana knelt behind Aidan, resting her arms on his shoulders as she looked down at everyone. Riley finally lifted her head, looking at them all, the light in her eyes slowly returning. “I’m so glad I have you all…”

“We’re glad to have you…” Maxwell smiled, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “You’re the bestest friend ever.”

“Who’s the woman who helped me stand up to my parents just earlier today? That’s right!” Hana smiled. “You’re always there for us, Riley—we’re happy to return the favor.”

“You’re a good friend, Mason.” Drake squeezed her shoulder affectionately. “No one messes with our friends and gets away with it.”

Aidan softly kissed her forehead. “We all care for you as dearly as you’ve cared for us. Just know there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for you.”

She finally smiled, leaning back against him, exhausted. “I love you guys so much…” She yawned.

Aidan smiled down at her, lifting her up as he stood and turning around towards the bed. Hana lifted up the blankets and he placed her on the bed, helping Hana smooth the blankets over her. He frowned as he looked toward the bedroom door. “I still don’t like this…”

Hana glanced at Maxwell and then looked at Aidan. “I’m sure _Maxwell_ can stay with her tonight. They both have to travel to House Beaumont in the morning anyway. He can see to it that she stays safe from here.”

Aidan looked over at Maxwell. “Are you okay with this?”

Maxwell stared at Hana and then Aidan. _So bold, Hana…_ “Of course, Aidan. I’ll do what I can.”

He clapped him on the shoulder. “Good.” He looked down at Riley, taking her hand. “I must take my leave now. But I’m glad to see you’re doing much better.” He brushed his lips across her knuckles. “I’ll see you at the Beaumont’s.”

Riley smiled. “Good night, Aidan.”

Aidan nodded for Drake to follow him. Drake put a comforting hand on Riley’s shoulder. “G’night, Mason.” He followed Aidan out of the room.

Maxwell looked over at Hana, who smiled conspiratorially at him. “Well!” she said, looking at the two of them. “My work here is done. I suppose I shall turn in for the night, unless I’m still needed?” She didn’t wait for a response. “No? Okay then.” She leaned down and hugged Riley tightly. “Oh, by the way, call your brothers back. They were really worried for you.” She reached over and hugged Maxwell. “Good night, you two!” She took her leave, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Riley looked over at Maxwell, quirking an eyebrow. “We’re not going to fight about this tomorrow, are we?”

He let out a small smile. “Nah… we have the blessing of Prince Aidan on this one.” He reached for her hand. “How… how are you… _really_?”

She glanced at the door, then back at him. “Honestly… still a little shaken up… kinda scared…” Her hand squeezed his tightly. “I almost keep expecting him to walk right back in that door. I mean, I know he won’t, but…”

“I get it… it’s not easy to forget.”

“I’m just glad we’re leaving this place tomorrow…” She started to hug the blankets to her, then looked down, realizing she was still in a towel. “Oh my god…”

Maxwell looked away. “Can you stand now, or do you need me to find you something to wear so you can change?”

“I think I can stand now.” She cautiously moved the blankets off of her, holding the towel to her. She stepped onto the floor slowly, standing for a moment. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She walked over to her dresser, finding fresh clothes to change into. She ducked into the bathroom and came back out a moment later, looking more relaxed in a new tank top and fresh pair of sweatpants. She climbed back into the bed, sitting next to him. “So you asked if I was okay… but what about you? I can tell you’re not either…”

He looked over at her, not wanting to tell her how sick he’d felt to his stomach while various questions flooded his mind. She’d had a bad feeling about Tariq earlier that evening. Why didn’t he believe her? Why did he dismiss her? Why didn’t he remember to tell her about the roses before she left him in the maze? Why hadn’t he just left with Riley when she was ready to go? Perhaps he would have been there with her when Tariq came walking in. Why hadn’t he kept the conversation going? Would they have both left together and found Tariq in her bedroom later on? No matter what he thought, his mind was inundating him with guilt. He should have been there. She wouldn’t have been hurt if he had been more vigilant.

“Maxwell…” She was reaching for him now. “What are you thinking? I see it in your eyes right now…”

“I…” He stared down at her hand as it reached toward him… the same hand where the wrist showed the bruising. He brushed his hand across them tenderly. “I’m so sorry you got hurt, Riley…”

She watched his hand, then looked into his eyes. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. There’s only one person here to blame, and it’s definitely not you.” She took his hand in hers. “You are not blame for this, no matter what you think that reason is. Don’t _ever_ think that.”

He squeezed her hand, smiling slightly, but didn’t answer.

She crawled back under her blankets, leaning against the headboard. “Come lay down with me.”

“Heh. You know what Bertrand would say if he caught us doing that?”

She gave him a defiant look. “You can tell him it was by order of Prince Aidan.”

“Somehow I don’t think Aidan had it in his head that we were going to sleep together…” He smirked.

“Whoa there, Maxwell… I just said lay down with me… I never said anything about _sleeping together_ …” She winked playfully.

“Are you _trying_ to get me in trouble?” He crawled next to her, giving her an evil grin, as he started poking her sides. “Are you? Huh?”

She squirmed away, giggling. “Watch it, Beaumont! I fight back!” she laughed, as she reached for his sides, tickling him back.

For a few moments, the room was filled with laughter and giggling as the two of them tangled back and forth, trying to best the other. Finally, they leaned against each other out of breath. “Guess it’s a draw,” Maxwell mumbled.

“Mmhmm…” she murmured in agreement.

“We should really get some sleep…”

“Yeah…” She leaned over, turning off her bedside lamp, and snuggled back into his arms.

He smiled down at her. He leaned down to softly kiss her forehead, when unexpectedly she moved her face up to him, capturing his lips against hers. Several seconds passed before they broke apart, and he looked down at her in surprise. She smiled up at him sleepily, just before her eyes closed and her head fell limp against him. For several moments, he stared down at her, her sleeping face outlined in the moonlight. Did she even realize what she did? He lovingly brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. “Good night, little blossom,” he whispered. _I love you…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you or anyone you know has experienced sexual assault, you are encouraged to seek assistance;
> 
> USA National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673 / Chat Online: online.rainn.org  
> UK Confidential Support Line: 01708 765200


	15. Assumptions

** Chapter 15: Assumptions **

Riley opened her eyes early the next morning, still finding the room enveloped in darkness. She shivered as she brought her hand up to her neck. A slight movement out of the corner of her eye startled her, and she reflexively moved back, breathing hard. “Riley?” a soft voice sounded out. As her eyes adjusted to the extremely dim light, she could see Maxwell leaning over her, propped up on one arm as he laid next to her. He cautiously reached over with his other hand, brushing the hair from her eyes. “It’s just me…”

Her hand reached up to grab his as she shut her eyes in relief. “Maxwell.” She took a deep breath before looking back up at him. “Have you been awake all this time?”

“That was my job, right?” He smiled down at her. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better…” She looked at his tired eyes. “Maxwell, you’re going to be _exhausted_ today.”

He shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle. I’ll catch a little sleep on the ride over to the Beaumont estate and I’ll be good as new.” He squeezed her hand. “I promise.”

She snuggled against his chest, smiling as he adjusted and brought an arm around her. “How long before we actually _have_ to be up?”

“A while. It’s only three in the morning.”

“Well… then that gives you some time to sleep.”

“No can do. I’m still on the job!”

“I’m fine, Maxwell. I think you can relax now.”

His arm pulled her in closer to him. “I’ll relax once we’re on our way out of here.”

“You’re _reeeeally_ gonna fight this, aren’t you?” She quirked an eyebrow, giving him a sly smile as she reached her hand behind his neck, massaging into his tired muscles.

He instantly dropped his head, letting out a quivering groan. “Damn you, Riley,” he muttered as her hand worked against him. “I’m supposed to keep an eye on y—” He groaned again as she hit another sensitive spot.

She grinned, quickly sitting up and pushing him down on his stomach. “Time to give in to relaxation, Maxwell.” Both of her hands immediately rubbed hard down the length of his back, earning another pleasurable groan from him. “Want to take your shirt off?” she asked quietly. “Might make this easier…”

He pushed himself up slowly, glancing back at her nervously. “Okay… but only if you promise not to look at the front of me.”

Her curiosity piqued. “Do you have like an embarrassing scar or something?”

“…Something like that. So do you promise?”

“Of course.”

He gave her a shy smile, turning around to slowly remove his shirt. His body didn’t have the same brawny frame as his friends, but he still had quite the muscular build thanks to years of breakdancing. He laid back down on his stomach, resting his head on his arms, and he shivered as he felt Riley’s hands connect with his bare skin soon after.

“Sorry if my hands are cold…”

Sure. That was it. Never mind that his body was already lighting up and responding with every touch… Thank god he was lying on his stomach for this. “I’ll get used to it…” he muttered. He felt her hands travel up and down his back slowly, kneading and working through the tough areas. He couldn’t help groaning and grunting in pleasure the entire time. Her hands were pure magic against him. “ _God Riley_ … _that feels so good!_ ” he mumbled blissfully.

She merely smiled and continued. Against his resolve, he found himself slowly falling asleep as his body melted into relaxation euphoria…

“Wow… I was not expecting _that_.”

Maxwell jolted awake a few hours later, his eyes flying to the doorway where Drake stood, giving him an accusing stare. He blinked, realizing Riley was lying with her back flush against him, his arm draped over her… and he still had no shirt. _Shit!_

Riley stirred a second later, glancing at Drake sleepily, then looking up at Maxwell. A look of realization dawned on her face as well. She grabbed Maxwell’s arm, pushing it off her, while giving an annoyed look to Drake. “This is _not_ what it looks like.”

“Sure, Mason.” He was not good at keeping a straight face for this one. “Just came to check in on you, and well…” He chuckled. “I guess you’re still in good hands.”

“Well, technically _Maxwell_ was the one in good hands this morning…” She flashed a wily grin.

“Riley!” Maxwell blushed several shades of red. “She meant she just gave me a massage…” Drake smirked at him. “On my _back!_ ”

Riley got up from the bed, smiling innocently at Drake and shrugging her shoulders. Drake laughed out loud and shook his head.

Maxwell had just gotten his shirt back on when another voice rang out from the doorway. “What are you all doing in Lady Riley’s bedroom?” The room got quiet as they all turned to see Bertrand’s glowering face staring back at them. “This is highly improper!”

“Just waking her up as usual!” Maxwell piped up. “I know how you said we were going to leave early today.”

Bertrand raised an eyebrow at Drake, who folded his arms and stared him down. “Just checking on Mason. Is that a problem?”

He sneered at him, saying nothing as he looked around the room, noting the broken vase and discarded clothes and towels everywhere. “Lady Riley, I do hope my brother’s party antics are not rubbing off on you. This is no way to behave. I—” His eyes fell on her injuries just as Drake stepped toward him with warning in his eyes.

“You’re stepping over the line, Bertrand.”

“Leave her alone, Bertrand…” Maxwell came up next to her, putting an arm around her waist as she instinctively leaned into him.

Drake looked at them curiously for a moment, then turned back to Bertrand, glaring at him. Concern flashed momentarily across Bertrand’s eyes as he looked at Riley before he gathered himself together, standing tall once more. “Yes. Well. I hope you’re already packed. We’re running late as it is.”

“Late for what? I thought we’re just traveling today.” Riley looked at him questioningly.

“We need to make it home to begin preparations.”

Maxwell grinned excitedly. “For the party of the year! Nothing you’ve seen so far will even come close! I hope you’re ready to handle a Beaumont Bash!”

“And even more importantly, _this_ time, you’ll have all of the advantages of hosting the royal court. You’ll be able to set the seating arrangements, have first claim on the Prince, and dictate the rules of the evening,” Bertrand explained.

“Hmmm…” Riley smiled. “Now I really can’t wait!”

Drake glanced at his phone as he received a message. “Here’s where I leave you.” He walked toward Riley, giving her a squeeze on her shoulder. “Glad to see you feeling better, Mason.”

She patted his hand. “Thanks, Drake.”

He nodded to everyone as he walked out of the room. There was silence for a moment as Riley walked around, picking up her discarded clothes and quickly folding them to throw them into her luggage.

“Well… I, for one, thought Riley’s performance at the Applewood events was spectacular,” Maxwell said, breaking the silence.

“She did fine.” Bertrand’s expression didn’t change.

“Thanks! Hey, did I miss anything at the country jamboree while I was with Aidan? There was a lot going on…”

Maxwell shook his head. “Not really. It was par for the course… Lots of gossiping, lots of mingling, someone got hit with a racket during the badminton tournament… The usual.”

“ _That’s_ the usual?”

“Oh!” Maxwell’s eyes widened as he remembered more. “The _real_ big news was that a reporter managed to sneak onto estate grounds… You hardly ever get someone who can do that.”

“Yes, but she was quickly caught and ejected. She should’ve known better than to come to a private event. Honestly.” Bertrand waved his hand in dismissal. “Now, enough reminiscing… I cannot stress enough the importance of our upcoming fete. The Beaumont Bash is the final event before the Coronation, and expectations couldn’t be higher.”

Maxwell began moonwalking towards the door. “Which means we have to throw the best parrttyyy!”

“The very reputation of House Beaumont is on the line…” Bertrand continued, shooting him an annoyed look.

“And remember, just like Olivia had the advantage when she hosted the royal court, now _we’ll_ have the upper hand!” Maxwell had since stopped moonwalking and now just bounced up and down in place.

Bertrand turned away from him. “Are you prepared, Riley?”

“Honestly, I just want to party!” She winked in Maxwell’s direction as he shot her some finger guns.

“Fine, party your little heart out, Riley. But do it in service of House Beaumont. And that means in service of winning over our Prince.”

“Don’t worry so much, Bertrand. I won’t let us down.”

“I _suppose_ that clichéd assertion is the only thing I can rely on…” Bertrand checked his watch. “Now then. If you’re all packed, we should be going.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Having departed from Applewood Manor, Riley, Maxwell, and Bertrand rode in a limo toward the Beaumont estate. Bertrand sat at one far end of the limo, discussing matters of the estate with someone over the phone, while Riley and Maxwell sat on the other side. Maxwell was trying very hard to stay awake for the ride, but his head began bobbing almost as soon as they were on the main road.

Riley nudged him. “Hey… lay down on the seats. You said you were going to nap in the limo anyway.”

He nodded drowsily, laying across the seats next to her. She slid closer to him, placing his head in her lap, raking her nails softly through his hair. He sighed contentedly, falling asleep almost instantly.

Several moments later, Bertrand joined them, eyeing her suspiciously. “Lady Riley… if I may…” His frown appeared more uncomfortable than anything. “Might I ask if…” He paused. “Is there… Are you…” He straightened up. “There’ve been rumors, and well… I wanted to ask you directly… what is going on between you and my brother?”

She kept her hands busy combing through Maxwell’s hair as he slept soundly against her. “We’re just friends, Bertrand. That’s all it’s ever been.” She met his gaze unwavering. “We just happen to be very close, that’s all. We confide in each other and support one another, and we both find comfort in that.”

“Ah.” He watched her move her hands tenderly through his brother’s hair. “Mother used to do things like that to help him sleep as well.” His face softened a little. “I’m afraid my brother doesn’t sleep much these days. I can’t recall the last time he’s ever had a full night’s rest.”

Riley almost dropped dead from shock at this new soft side of Bertrand. “I… Is it because your mother is no longer in the picture?”

“Perhaps. But he’s always been quite the night owl too.” Bertrand stared at them thoughtfully. “You make a worthy friend for him, Lady Riley. I dare say he is… well, happier than usual when you’re around.”

“Aww, thanks, Bertrand. I’m happy he’s my friend too. You should be proud of the man that your brother is.”

Obviously that was too much to ask. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Yes. Well…” He trailed off, glancing down at her arm, then trailing his gaze up to her neck. “Are you… all right, Lady Riley?”

“Of course, Bertrand. He almost did worse, but Drake got to me just in time. And everyone took good care of me after.”

Bertrand scowled. “Had I been there, that man would have had to face the wrath of the Duke of Ramsford! What unacceptable behavior of a noble to enter a lady’s bedroom and touch her without permission!”

She stared blankly at him. All she could picture in her mind now was Bertrand wearing that atrocious sweater vest bursting into her bedroom, _glaring_ at Tariq to death and telling him to leave before he faced the “ _wrath of the Duke of Ramsford!_ ” A chuckle escaped her. Then she began to giggle. Soon she was laughing so hard, her stomach hurt.

“Good lord, what is so funny, Lady Riley?” Bertrand looked at her in shock.

“Nothing…” She held her sore stomach, breathing hard as she looked up and smiled at him. “Let’s just say you’ve made me feel _so_ much better now.”

“Well, I’m not sure _how_ , but you’re welcome all the same.” He looked at her, bewildered.

Suddenly, Maxwell woke up, completely oblivious to the conversation that had just went on. He lifted his head up from her lap as he tried to get a view of where they were at. He slid across the limo seat to get a better look out the window, and a smile appeared on his face. “Hey, we’re home!”

Gazing out, Riley could see rolling vineyards all the way up to the edge of a large manor. The limo glided to a stop, and Maxwell hopped out, holding his hand out to help her climb out. “Wow…” she said, gazing at the flourishing vineyards. “This is some fine real estate…”

Bertrand smiled proudly. “It’s beautiful in all its splendor.”

Maxwell plopped down onto the couch as they reached a large outdoor patio. “ _Ahhhhh_ , the cushion still remembers my shape.”

Riley sunk into one of the soft cushions next to him. “It’s cozy… but it also feels empty for a noble’s estate. Shouldn’t there be, you know, people?”

“To cut costs, the house staff isn’t scheduled until tomorrow,” Bertrand explained. “But the caterers and cleaning crew from the event planning company should’ve been here by now.”

“It’s a big place. You gotta shout to reach them.” Maxwell put his hands to his mouth, calling out loudly into the vast hallways. “Hellooooooo! We’re home!”

“Hmmm…” Riley could hear no response. She put her hands to her mouth as well, raising her voice. “HELLOOOOOO! Future queen of Cordonia here! I’ll make all your dreams come truuuuuueeee!” Her call echoed through the empty halls, with no one answering back. She looked toward the brothers. “Maybe they’re all pranking us?”

Bertrand scowled. “The company I hired has one of the highest reputations for professionalism and service to the nobility. So, no, they are not _pranking_ us.”

“It was just a thought.”

“Something isn’t right.” Bertrand looked around the house. He found a note above the fireplace and opened it, reading it immediately. “WHAT?!” His shouts rang out through the house. “They backed out of the event!”

“Huh?” Maxwell’s jaw dropped. “Why would they do that?”

“It appears… there was a… ah… a paperwork issue. A logistical hiccup, it seems.” Bertrand frowned. “And rather than wait for our arrival, they cancelled. This is going to be a disaster…”

Riley threw her hands up. “Well… there’s got to be _something_ we can do. This isn’t the first time the crew we hired hasn’t shown up.”

Bertrand glowered at her. “ _Don’t_ remind me…”

“I’m just saying we can pull through if we work together.”

“I suppose you’re right. There’s no alternative except to cover for this mess before the entire royal court arrive tomorrow. Maxwell, call in every last favor you can. We need extra hands to clean the estate. I’ll see what I can do about getting the flowers and furnishings for the ballroom…”

“Right!” Maxwell pulled his phone out, typing furiously.

“Lady Riley.”

“Yes?”

“The kitchen should be fully stocked. We’re going to be feeding a lot of mouths tomorrow, so anything you can prepare in advance will be valuable. Maxwell will help you when he can.”

Maxwell fist-pumped with one hand while still typing away with the other. “Team, break!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Down in the kitchen, Riley checked the pantries to take stock of what she had to cook with. _Caviar… squid ink… truffles…_ She frowned. _Where’s the_ normal _food?_

Maxwell sauntered into the room. “Calls have been made, so now I can concentrate on food. Any culinary ideas?”

Riley looked skeptically at the items in front of her. “All of this stuff looks fancy, and… I have no idea what to do with any of it.”

“The fancier the stuff, the less you have to do!” He grabbed a bunch of random cans and bottles, heading for the counter. “Just dump it on a plate and call it ‘deconstructed’!”

“Oh my gosh… you’re a genius.”

He took a bow, waving a hand with flourish. “Thank you, thank you. I’m glad someone recognizes my brilliance. I’ll grab some more caviar and other stuff to go with it. You get some fancy serving spoons!”

As she searched the kitchen, she called over her shoulder. “I’m sorry the helpers bailed… I can’t believe this happened again.”

“Yeah, me neither… Bertrand told me he had everything covered and not to ask any questions. But I’m sure this is somehow my fault.” He sighed as he continued gathering more containers and piling them onto the counter.

“Maxwell…” Riley paused her search, turning to look at him. “Why does Bertrand talk to you like that? You do _so_ much for him. He should be a little more appreciative.”

Maxwell shrugged, shuffling his feet. “Bertrand’s criticism isn’t _wrong_. I haven’t done anything to save House Beaumont…”

“Well, what has _he_ done?”

“Oh, you know, arrange our finances, strike deals for funding, and work sixteen-hour days to keep the whole thing from falling apart. Even then, it’s not enough…”

“You still shouldn’t take the blame for everything. Bertrand is at least as much to blame, if not more so, than you.”

“He knows that.” Maxwell looked up at her sadly. “He’s harder on himself than he is on me.”

Riley frowned at him. “That’s not an excuse for him to berate you. Stand up to him.”

“It’s not that simple.” He shook his head. “Look, I appreciate your concern over my relationship with Bertrand… but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“You sure? I’m here if you ever need to talk about this…”

“Thanks, but we should focus on these appetizers…” Maxwell looked away. “We’ve got a _party_ to prepare.” He set out the plates and the ingredients as Riley brought over a large box of serving spoons. “Here, put a little caviar on the spoon, then a little sprig of garnish, and finish with a dash of paprika!”

“Does paprika go well with caviar?”

“It’ll be a novelty…”

“Then here’s to culinary experimentation!” She and Maxwell worked for a few seconds in silence, assembling the appetizers. “Hey, by the way… where are these friends you called?”

“Oh, you know, all of them said they were busy, or they couldn’t make it, or that something came up. Not that most of them would even know which end of a broom to hold… But don’t worry! We can do it together!” He frowned as he completed another appetizer. “…Probably.”

“Hey… teamwork makes the dream work!”

“Ooh, that could be our new house motto!”

“What’s your house motto right now?”

“I think something about vendettas and giant squid.”

She giggled. “Squids do seem to be entrenched in everything you do…”

“We used to be sea-faring people…” He paused as they heard the door to the kitchen open.

“Hello? Anyone in here?” a familiar voice called out.

“Drake! You made it!” Riley waved from the counter.

“Yeah, yeah, behold your knight in shining armor.”

“Drake! Drake! Drake!” Maxwell chanted. “You came!”

“Calm down, it’s not _that_ big of a deal.”

“Yes, it is! We _are_ friends!”

“You promised me whiskey.”

“ _Friendship_ whiskey!”

Riley smirked at him. “Drake, is whiskey _all_ you care about?”

Drake side-glanced her, a small smile forming on his face. “I also care about barbeque and sleeping.”

“Sounds about right.”

“Alright, I’m here now. What needs to be done?”

Maxwell showed him the small assembly line they had going. “Riley and I are plating some fancy appetizers. Come join us…” Drake took up a spot next to him and started assembling. Pretty soon, there were rows of paprika-and-caviar tasting spoons. “Oooh, these are shaping up! I think we need a good name for these though. Maybe ‘Jewels of the Sea’…”

“Why not name it Stuffy Rich Person Food?” Riley gave a sarcastic grin.

Drake snorted. “I didn’t know you were funny, Mason.”

“I’m _hilarious_.”

“That’s too on the nose,” Maxwell laughed. “Everyone who eats this will know they’re consuming stuffy food, but they can’t openly admit it.”

“Okay then.” Riley shrugged. “How about the Charade of the Season?”

“Heh.” Drake shook his head, smiling.

“Ohhh, _snarky_. I like it.” As they used up the last of the caviar, Maxwell stored the appetizers in one of the huge fridges. “There, that should be enough to get us started. Now then, on to the main course!”

Drake raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you even _know_ how to cook from scratch?”

“Well…” Maxwell’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he answered it, relief immediately washing over his face. “Oh, thank heavens. Bertrand found another company to handle the main courses. Let me tell you, _nobody_ would’ve wanted the science experiments I was about to produce.”

“Dodged a bullet there.”

Riley washed her hands, wiping them on a nearby towel. “So, what’s next on the ‘We’re in Panic Mode’ list?”

“Hmm… I should stay here and clean the kitchen, but Bertrand might need help in the main hall. Last I saw of him, he was looking for cleaning supplies…”

“Oh boy.”

“I’ll stay here and help Maxwell. We’ll come find you once we finish down here.”

“Sure thing…” Riley turned and made her way out of the kitchen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley entered the main hall, and at the base of the stairs, she found Bertrand obsessively scrubbing the tiles on his hands and knees. “Uh, Bertrand?”

“What?” he muttered, not looking up.

“I… have never seen you do manual labor…” She watched him in fascination for a moment.

“Laugh all you want. I’d expect nothing less.” He sighed, looking up at forlornly. “But this house is something special, and I’ll get down on my hands and knees to preserve it if I have to.”

“Well… I was sent here to help you. So… if you need anything, let me know.”

“It’s fine. I have it under control.”

“Bertrand…” A small mischievous smile played at her lips. “…You missed a spot.”

Bertrand scowled. “Why don’t you bother Maxwell? I’m sure he needs cleaning… or repairing whatever damage he may have caused.”

“First off, give your brother some credit. Without him, you’d be stuck doing everything by yourself!” Riley glared at him, placing her hands on her hips. “Second, settle down, Bertrand… I’m here to help, so let me help you.”

“Well… if you’re going to insist, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” He half-heartedly pointed toward an area that still needed attention. “Remember to get in between the tiles.”

“You got it.” Riley grabbed a brush and spray from a bucket of cleaning supplies and scrubbed the floor alongside Bertrand.

After some time, Bertrand came over to inspect her work. “Not bad.” He offered her a rare smile. “I suppose I owe you my… my thanks.”

“Glad I could help.”

“Now, we should find Maxwell before he’s left unattended for too long.”

Just then, Maxwell emerged from the kitchen. “Whew, that was quite the ordeal. I hope it’s at least a year before I ever have to clean another kitchen again. Luckily, with Drake, it went faster than I thought.”

“Speak of the devil.”

“I hope that was a reference to my impish charm.”

“It wasn’t.”

“A man can dream.”

“Now that you’re done with the kitchen, we need to do a thorough dusting. Just be careful with our displays. Your help was appreciated, Lady Riley, but I can finish the floors. Maxwell will need you more. This house needs to be in top condition before guests arrive.”

Riley and Maxwell walked around the room, dusting walls, vases, busts, and paintings. Behind the stairwell, she came across several weapons on the wall. “Ooh!” She reached out and touched a multi-pointed flail, then drew her hand back. “…Wow, they’re all so pointy.”

“I see you found our wall of weapons,” Maxwell said behind her.

“Why are these here?”

“These are a selection from our armory. They’re very important to our family and Cordonia’s history. But the best thing about them is that they act as a variety of exciting bottle openers!”

“Bottle openers…” She gave him a sarcastic grin. “Yeah, that’s _totally_ normal. Why settle for a pedestrian bottle opener when you can get a double-bladed sword?”

“You get it! There’s nothing more thrilling than lopping the top off a priceless bottle of wine with a medieval weapon.”

“Right… What exactly’s going to happen at this party? Because it sounds like blood will be spilled.”

“Nothing is more important than safety here at House Beaumont.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “…Really?”

“Well… Having fun is first. Second is keeping Bertrand from getting mad. Then probably something about dancing…” He thought for another moment. “But right after that? _Definitely_ safety!” Maxwell’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he reached down to check it. “Anyway, Bertrand just said he and Drake are working in the ballroom. We’d better go see if they need help.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley and Maxwell made their way to the ballroom, where Drake and Bertrand were arranging centerpieces and setting the tables. “It’s looking great!” Riley said, looking around at how well everything was coming together.

“Thank you.” Bertrand looked at his brother. “Maxwell, these tables in the back corner are ready for napkins. Can you help?”

“On it!”

“Lady Riley, if you could assist, Drake?”

“Sure!” While Maxwell and Bertrand set the back tables, she found Drake arranging flowers in a vase. “Why, Drake, I never knew you had such a flair with peonies…”

He rolled his eyes. “The things I do for you people…” As Riley picked up a vase, Drake stepped closer to her and lowered his voice. “Hey… anything about any of this seem off to you?”

“Huh?”

Drake nodded toward the other side of the room. Leaning in, Riley heard Bertrand and Maxwell arguing in hushed tones.

“ _What I don’t get is that the money was in our account_ yesterday _!_ ” Bertrand stared accusingly at him.

“ _I… I don’t know anything about our finances, Bertrand! You know that_!” Maxwell frowned.

“ _You might not know anything, but you’re still causing me problems!_ ” Bertrand glowered at him, getting in his face. “ _You’re the only other person with access to that account_!”

“ _I…_ ” Maxwell trailed off, backing away slightly.

“ _This better not be to pay off one of your idiotic credit card purchases. Last month you said you spent three thousand on a jet ski. What is it this time?_ ”

Maxwell looked at him angrily, getting worked up. “ _I_ told _you, I don’t know what you’re talking about._ ”

“ _You’re lucky I don’t have time to deal with you right now._ ”

Maxwell looked upset as he and Bertrand stalked off to get more napkins. Drake raised an eyebrow at Riley. “Well? Doesn’t it seem like something weird is going on?”

Maxwell was a private person in many ways, she knew. This was probably one of them. She tried to play it off, shrugging nonchalantly. “It seemed like Bertrand being Bertrand. Being grumpy and yelling at Maxwell is kind of Bertrand’s thing, you know…”

“Yeah, but this time it sounded like he actually had a reason,” Drake pushed.

“So?”

“That means something odd is going on here…”

“So you think there’s something suspicious going on in House Beaumont?”

“That’s exactly what I think, Mason.”

Riley looked to where the brothers disappeared and frowned. “I do wonder what’s actually going on with their money issues…”

“I intend to find out what it is… Besides, it sounds like Maxwell might be in over his head this time. I think he really needs my help… but knowing him, he’d never ask.”

“I didn’t realize you and Maxwell were that close.”

He lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug. “After all the time I’ve spent with him in the past weeks, I’m starting to find him less annoying…”

“High praise.”

“Besides, we scrubbed the kitchen cabinets together. I think I’m invested now.”

“Sure…”

“Actually, Mason…” He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at her. “I think there’s something else we should talk about. About this morning…”

“This morning?”

“What I walked in on…”

Riley’s eyes flew to the other side of the room, making sure they were still alone. “I _told_ you it wasn’t what it looked like, Drake,” she said sharply.

“Perhaps not, but…” He exhaled quietly, trying not to rattle her too much. “I’m not sure it was a good idea he stayed in your room last night.”

“Why not?”

“The way you look at him sometimes, Mason… If you’re alone together enough, I’m not sure he’ll be able to stop himself from doing something stupid.”

“Drake…” Warning entered her tone of voice as she looked at him resentfully.

“Drake! Riley!” Bertrand barked from across the room.

Riley jumped back. “Eep! Er, I mean, yes?”

“Why are you two standing around chatting like ladies at an afternoon tea? You both said you’d help, so _help!_ ”

Drake growled. “Right away, _Duke Ramsford,_ ” he bit back sarcastically.

“Yeah. Of course,” Riley echoed. As she resumed arranging flowers, she watched Drake abruptly abandon his vase and walk away. _What the…_ She watched as he quietly opened a door at the end of the hallway and slipped inside. _I bet he’s trying to figure out what’s going on with Maxwell and Bertrand…_ Making sure Bertrand and Maxwell were still both occupied with their tasks, she followed Drake down the hallway and into the room off to the side. “Drake,” she said quietly. “What are you doing back here?”

Drake turned and looked at her in surprise. “Mason! So, you followed me, huh?” He waved his arm around the room. “This is the Beaumont study.”

“How’d you even know this was here?”

“I used to come to this house a lot, back in the day. We ran in the same circles, being friends with Aidan and all that… My sister, Savannah, used to think the Beaumont brothers were the epitome of courtly life. She practically worshipped them.” His eyes darkened and his jaw tightened momentarily.

“And you didn’t.”

He took a deep breath and looked over at her. “I found them to be more of an acquired taste.”

“You mean they both annoyed the hell out of you.”

“Yup. Pretty much. Whenever I got tired of their antics, I’d sneak off and come here to their study.”

“So… you were the life of the party even back then?” She grinned at him mockingly.

“Ha ha.” He rolled his eyes. “Whenever Savannah found me here, she would try to get me to join in on the fun.”

“Got it. Your sister was the fun one.”

“Yes, she _was_ …” His shoulders slumped, sadness filling his eyes. “I don’t even know where she is now.”

“You don’t have any way of finding her?”

“She stopped answering my calls and deleted all of her social media. Wherever she is… all I know is that she doesn’t _want_ to be found. Even by me. And you know what? I don’t blame her. I failed her. I don’t even know how, but I know that I failed her. I didn’t protect her from… from whatever it was that made her leave.”

“Drake… I’m sure you did everything you could.”

“I’ve spent hours trying to figure out if I could’ve done something different… If I could’ve done _more_.”

She looked at him sympathetically. “Maybe she just needs to deal with this on her own…”

“Maybe. But she’s my little sister… I helped her learn how to tie her shoes. It kills me to think there’s something she didn’t think she could trust me with.” He sighed, allowing her to give him a small hug. “Thanks…”

“No problem…” She stepped back, leaning against the bookshelves. “So, do you have any idea what it was about?”

“She was so happy… and then one day, after one of these Beaumont parties, she wasn’t. She locked herself in her room, and I could hear her crying. A couple days later, all of her things were packed, and she was just… gone.” His eyes glistened with emotion, and he looked down, forcing himself to keep control. “But… that’s enough about that…”

A silence fell between the two of them as Drake walked to the far side of the room. Riley let her gaze roam around the study. “So, this is the Beaumont study… are we allowed back here?”

Drake shrugged. “They never lock the door, so I guess they don’t care that much about who comes in. Besides, the point of this room is more to show off.”

“I expected more party hats. I mean, Maxwell lives here, so I figured…”

“It _is_ more on the serious side, isn’t it? I don’t think they changed it after their father passed away. The former Duke Ramsford made it a point to decorate it with the family’s accomplishments.” He gestured at the walls, which were lined with ribbons and medals. “As you can see, the Beaumont family has a lot to brag about.”

She let her eyes wander to a lit display case, which contained a set of gleaming trophies and framed pictures of young Bertrand and Maxwell, both on horseback. Young Bertrand, of course, sat proud with a smug smile upon his horse. Young Maxwell was smiling, as she was used to, but somehow, the smile was not quite reaching his eyes in that shot. Both boys were holding up their trophies in triumph. “I guess Bertrand and Maxwell had a habit of winning…”

“A family tradition.”

“I can see why Bertrand is always so worried about upholding the Beaumont name.”

“Their house goes back a long way. I could never pity a rich kid like Bertrand, but I come very close to it sometimes. He’s got a lot of pressure on him. I think his parents gave him a lot of talks about his heritage and Cordonia… And it’s not like Maxwell’s much help with anything.”

Riley looked up at him. “Hey… Maxwell tries.”

“Heh. Maxwell’s always been more interested in having fun. He couldn’t care less about prestige and honor. That’s one of the things I like about him, actually.” He trailed off for a moment, looking at her thoughtfully. “Mason… can we talk?”

“What about?”

“We need to talk about you and Maxwell.”

She froze, eyeing him carefully as she held her voice steady. “There _is_ no me and Maxwell.”

He studied her face, leaning against the bookshelves. “Somehow I don’t think you mean that.”

“What do you want me to say, Drake?”

“The truth is a good start.” He waved his arm around the room. “It’s just you and me here, Mason.”

“The only truth there is, Drake, is that Maxwell and I are best friends.”

“And the truth is that _my_ best friend is head over heels for you.” He glared at her, a protective look in his eye. “I told you from the beginning, Mason, that I don’t want to see him get hurt in this. What I saw this morning…” He trailed off, fuming. “What if it had been Aidan walking in on that and not me?”

“I would have told him exactly what I had told you. Drake… Nothing. Happened. I slept, he stayed awake all night, I woke up early, and I rubbed his back to relax him so he _would_ sleep. He wouldn’t have slept otherwise. He was literally going to come home with what little sleep he could get in the _limo_. I wasn’t going to let that happen to him.” She crossed her arms, glaring at him. “I wouldn’t let that happen to _any_ of you.”

“Well, at least he kept control of himself…”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

“Hell, Mason, I’m sure you’ve already learned about him by now.” He frowned slightly as the both of them grew silent for a moment. “I’m sure it’s no secret to you that he’s very… physical. What you say you did… I’m surprised he didn’t make a move.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Drake… are you saying what I _think_ you’re saying…?”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Aidan loves you more than anything. Maxwell shouldn’t be getting in the way of that.”

“Who says he is?!” She shook her head, frustrated. “And by the way, what about how _I_ feel? Has anyone ever thought to ask _that_?”

He looked at her in surprise. “How you feel… _of course_ I care how you feel. I just didn’t think… I mean…” He exhaled slowly. “…What are you saying, Mason?”

“I’m saying… I care about…” She sighed, casting her gaze down to the floor. “… _both_ Maxwell and Aidan…”

He was quiet for a moment. “…Does Aidan know?”

“He’s got enough to worry about, Drake… He doesn’t need to know, especially when there’s nothing actually going on between us.”

“You know he wouldn’t hold it against you, right?”

“Would he hold it against Maxwell?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued. “Look, I just don’t see the need unless Maxwell and I decided to start something together… and trust me, that’s not happening.”

“Well, _that’s_ an obvious prediction.”

“You don’t have to be a jerk about it.” She glared at him. “You’re the one who brought this up. I was perfectly happy keeping this to myself.”

“I’m not _trying_ to be jerk, I just…” He put a hand over his mouth thoughtfully, choosing his words. “Mason… I would just be wary about getting _those_ kinds of feelings for someone like Maxwell. He’s… not like the rest of us.”

“Drake…” Her voice held a defensive edge to it. “I think I know Maxwell pretty well by now.”

“Better than us?” He gave her an amused look. “Mason, we’ve all known each other since we were kids, and you’ve only gotten to know him all of a couple months. I’m pretty sure you haven’t even scratched the surface.”

She folded her arms and looked at him defiantly. “And _I’m_ pretty sure I know him a lot better than you think I do.”

“Tell me that again once he’s decided to add you to his list.”

“Drake!”

“I’m not saying he’s a bad guy. He’s as good as they come. Annoying, but still a good guy. I’m just saying if you want anything more than friends with him… well… it’ll be nothing more than a fling. And that’s it. It will mean absolutely nothing.” He watched the hurt appear in her eyes and he knew he’d finally pushed too much.

She glared at him furiously. “Why are you attacking Maxwell like this anyway? Are you only bothered by how close we are because I rejected your feelings for me?”

“Not at all, and by the way, that was an idiotic move on my part.” He shook his head. “I honestly wish I’d never said anything to you last night. I’m perfectly fine with the way things are between us, Mason. Really.” He leaned back on his arms against the desk, staring intently at her. “In truth, I could never betray Aidan by falling for his girl. He’s the only one who’s ever looked out for me. The only one who gave a damn about me after my dad… after he was gone. The rest of the court was ready to cast us out… never mind that he died protecting the royal family.”

Her face softened. “Drake… I’m sorry. That’s terrible.”

“I didn’t care much, but my mom and Savannah… it would’ve devastated them. Aidan made sure we had a place at the palace as long as we wanted one.” He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “So, it doesn’t really matter how I feel. Because that’s where it has to end.” The two of them stayed silent for several moments. “Look… Mason… I wasn’t trying to attack you. You _are_ a good friend to me…” She looked up at him with a small surprised smile, and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah, I’m admitting it. But seriously… I just don’t want you hurt either. There’s just a lot of history there, and I’d hate for anything to catch you off guard.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Drake… you’ve given me a lot to think about,” she said quietly.

“Just… be careful, Mason, okay?” He put a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him, her eyes conflicted. He sighed. “We better stop talking about this… someone could come in here… one of them might come looking for us…”

“Maybe we should just leave…” She looked away.

Drake stared at her, feeling a little guilty for coming down too hard on her. “We’ll be out of here soon… we came in here with a mission, didn’t we?”

“Something about searching for clues to the Beaumont mystery, I think?”

“Right…” He looked down, his hands idly going to the desk at his side. “Whoa!”

“What is it?”

Drake pulled out an extremely stuffed envelope, opening it up. “If I’m not mistaken, this is a fat envelope full of cash!”

Riley’s eyes widened. “That’s… that’s what that is, all right. But why is it just here in the study?”

“There’s an address on the back… a French address! It looks like someone was going to mail this today.”

Riley pulled out her phone, snapping a picture of the address. “Drake… this has got to be the missing money that Bertrand was talking about. We’ve got to take it to Maxwell.”

Drake raised an eyebrow. “Really? You want to trust _Maxwell Beaumont_ with an envelope of cash?”

“Let’s just say I trust him more than I trust Bertrand right now. I’ll text him to meet us here.” She typed a quick message on her phone.

A few seconds later, Maxwell popped into the study. “What’s up? Your text sounded serious.”

“This _is_ serious. Drake and I were in here, and we found this envelope full of cash!” Riley held the envelope out to him.

Maxwell’s eyes widened nervously. “Oh, uh, wow! That… that must be the money that Bertrand was looking for.” He pasted a smile on his face, but the nervousness still remained within his eyes. “Thank you. You guys saved my life. Bertrand was ready to kill me over this.”

Riley looked at him doubtfully. “No problem…”

Maxwell took the money from her. “I think it’s too late to get the staff back, but at least we found it!”

“But… how do you think the money ended up here?” She gave him a questioning look.

“Oh, you know, it’s been so crazy lately… Bertrand probably put it here to give to the staff and then forgot about it or something.”

Drake looked at him suspiciously. “I don’t think that Bertrand would forget something like that…”

“Yeah, I’ll have to talk to him about it.”

“You know, you can always tell us if you’re in some kind of trouble…” Drake pushed.

“Oh, no more than usual…” Maxwell said, brushing him off quickly. “Anyway, thanks for finding it! I owe you guys! But now we better get back to work before Bertrand realizes we’ve stopped cleaning!”

As Riley and Drake headed out of the study, she glanced back and saw Maxwell putting the envelope in his pocket. _Maxwell… what’s going on?_ She frowned.

Drake leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Something is off. You getting that feeling too?”

“Yeah…” Her eyes grew sad. “It seems like Maxwell might be hiding something…”

“And I want to know what it is.”

“Maybe we’ll find more clues while we’re prepping the house?”

“We’ll see. Keep an eye out, but try not to be obvious about it.”

“Right…”

Drake looked down at her. “I hate to say it, but you do see what I mean, right?”

She kept her gaze focused on the floor. “I guess…”

“There’s always going to be these kinds of games with him, Mason. If you can live with that, then… well… I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise. It’s your decision.” He was quiet for a moment. “Just do me a favor and go easy on Aidan… if anything _does_ actually happen.”

Her eyes moved up to meet his as she stared at him apprehensively. “Just moments ago, you were telling me all the reasons why I should be careful of him.”

“And I still stand by every one of them. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stand in the way either. I’ve said my piece.” He clapped her on the shoulder as he opened the door. “Your secret’s safe with me, Mason.”

She nodded as she and Drake left the study and returned to their work. For the next several hours, she helped clean and spruce up the estate until at last she met with Bertrand and Maxwell in the main hall.

Maxwell wiped his forehead. “Whew, I just did the last of the bathrooms! I think this place is finally ready to go!”

Bertrand nodded. “Yes, the house is… actually acceptable.”

Riley looked at him in shock. “Wow… does something actually meet your standards?”

“Do I need to call a doctor?” Maxwell stood nearby with his jaw dropped.

“No, you don’t.” Bertrand rolled his eyes, but smiled. “It’s only that tomorrow will be something special… I can feel it…” Just then, there was a knock on the estate’s great door. Bertrand walked over to answer it. “Who could it be at this hour?” He opened the door to find Prince Aidan, and he immediately bowed. “Oh, Your Highness! You’re… early! Ahem, I mean, what a pleasant surprise…”

Aidan smiled brightly. “I hope I’m not disturbing anything.”

“Of course not. I hope you find everything in order.”

“As grand as I remember it.”

“Of course. Come on in… If you’ll excuse us, my brother and I will check that your room accommodations are in order. In the meantime, I’m sure Lady Riley here will entertain you…”

“I’m sure she will.” Aidan walked in and made his way straight up to Riley. Bertrand grabbed Maxwell’s arm and led him away, leaving the two of them alone.

Riley watched them walk away, then looked up at him with a smile. “You’re a delightful surprise.”

He flashed her a playful grin. “You’re assuming I’m here to see you, hmm?”

“You better be…”

“What gave it away?”

“You have my name written all over your lips.” She pulled him down for a soft kiss, and he smiled against her lips.

“There’s no hiding from you, is there?”

“Not a chance.” She smirked as they parted. “You know… you shouldn’t be here at all. The party isn’t until tomorrow.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. “Something about you consistently compels me to do things I shouldn’t… I arrived early because I knew you’d be here, and I wanted to see you before the festivities began…” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I know all of this must seem strange to you… jet-setting around Cordonia, attending grand formal events… I imagine it’s much different from ‘dating’ as you usually know it in New York.”

“Heh. You could say that, yeah.”

“I appreciate that you’ve thrown yourself into courtly life with such enthusiasm, but I wanted to… meet you halfway, so to speak.”

“Oh?”

“I also have this idea… it’s maybe a little silly, but…” He gave her a shy smile. “Will you go on a date with me?”

“A date?”

“My first _true_ date. I want it to be with you.” He took her hand in his.

“We’re on an estate surrounded by acres of vineyards…” She looked at him incredulously. “Where would we go? What would we do?”

“Leave that to me. I promise you, it’ll be a proper first date. Tonight, I just want to be Riley and Aidan, two normal people going on a normal date…” He smiled down at her. “What do you say? I know it’s a bit last-minute.”

“Aidan… I’d love to go on a date with you. I think I can do _ordinary_ for one evening.”

“You can be normal, but I don’t think you can ever be anything less than extraordinary…”

“You’re really pulling out all the stops, aren’t you?”

“For you, definitely. If you think about it, it’s our first real date… I mean, we’ve been spending time together, but it’s been here and there…”

“I’ll be sure to break out the awkward icebreaker questions and first-date nerves…”

“Sounds perfect. I need to make a couple arrangements, but I’ll meet you at your room in an hour?”

“Yes. I’m in the east wing, fourth door from the right. I’ll see you then.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well, it’s about damned time!” Carl’s sarcastic voice answered as he picked up the phone. “You have any idea how crazy Dan has been over this?”

“Cut it out,” Daniel’s voice objected. “You were just as worried as I was.”

Riley chuckled lightly. “Sorry, guys. Things got really crazy, and once I recovered, I was caught into back-to-back tasks to prepare for tomorrow’s event. This is the first break I’ve gotten.”

“Important stuff first… you’re okay?” Carl asked, his tone now concerned. “We spoke to Hana, and she said that some jackass came into your room and… and…” He trailed off, and Riley could hear him steady his breathing, clearly keeping himself in check.

“I’m okay, guys.” She recounted to them what had happened last night, as well as the events that led up to it, including the mystery roses and him constantly approaching her. “My friends really came through for me that night after it was all over. They made sure I was okay before they left, and Maxwell stayed with me to make sure nothing else happened.”

“I’m sure you hated that,” Daniel laughed.

“That’s all it was for.”

“Sure, baby sis.” Carl sounded amused. “Well, we’re glad to hear you’re better. It was no picnic getting that call from you last night and not being able to help you.”

“I’m sorry I scared you guys. I was scared out of my mind then, and I really didn’t know what to do at that moment…” She paused, frowning. “Maybe it would have been better if I hadn’t called you…”

“No.” Carl’s voice stood firm.

“Don’t say that, Riley!” Daniel protested.

“You can _always_ call us. Just remember that. Of course, we don’t like worrying about you, but it would be worse if you felt like you couldn’t come to us when you needed it the most.”

“I love you both.” She smiled, looking at the time. “I should get going. I have a dinner date with Aidan in a bit.”

“So you spend a night with Maxwell and date Aidan the next?” Daniel couldn’t help pointing that out, of course.

“It’s not like that.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one before…” She could practically hear Carl’s eye roll over the phone. “You gotta make up your mind at some point though, right? This competition thing’s getting close to the end, isn’t it?”

She sighed. “Yeah it is…”

“Well…?”

“It’s just me and Aidan. Maxwell and I are just friends… that’s what he wanted.”

“What _he_ wanted?” Riley could hear the gears turning in his head. Sometimes she really hated him for analyzing everything she had to say. “What about what _you_ wanted…?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want…” She sighed. “It’s done.”

“It should matter what you want,” Daniel piped up. “I think Maxwell is a nice guy from the couple times I’ve seen him around you, but if he can’t see how amazing you are, Riley, you’re better off with someone like Aidan who _can_ see your worth.”

“…Maybe you’re right.”

“You know he’s right, baby sis. Anyone who doesn’t want to be with you is a damned fool.”

“Thanks, you guys…” She looked at the time. “Okay, I really got to get changed. Aidan will be here soon.”

“Have fun, Riley!” Daniel said.

“Good luck, baby sis. If he’s the one, then we’re happy for you.”

She smiled. “Thanks…” She disconnected the call and opened up her luggage that she had not been able to unpack yet. She looked through her collection of dresses, pulling out the ruffled white dress she had worn for the first day’s events at Applewood. _Hmmm, should I go with this?_ She tried it on and twirled in front of the mirror briefly, a satisfied smile flashing across her face. _I think I look perfect!_

A few moments later, Aidan showed up at her door, his hand behind his back. “Riley…”

“Your Highness…”

“Please. Just Aidan. These are for you…” He flourished a bouquet of roses. She froze for a split second, then slowly took them, inhaling in the sweet scent. Her reaction didn’t go unnoticed. “Are they… were they the right thing to get for a first date?” He looked at her with concern.

“Aidan, they’re amazing…” she reassured him.

He smiled. “I’m so glad you like them.”

She sniffed them one more time before dropping them in a vase near the door and putting her arm out for Aidan. “Shall we?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aidan led her down the hallway and up the grand staircase. “So are you going to spill about what we’re doing tonight?”

“I did some research on traditional first dates…”

She giggled lightly. “You researched dates? That’s super adorable.”

A subtle blush flowed into his cheeks. “Hey, I wanted tonight to be perfect…”

“And what did your research tell you?”

“That a traditional first date is dinner, then a movie.” He gave her a cheeky grin. “…But there aren’t any local theaters secure enough to be cleared of any threats, so… we’re going to be focusing on the dinner part. This way…”

His hand slid to the small of her back, guiding her forward as he opened a door on the second floor. Inside, she saw a rustic game room where a romantic dinner for two had been set up. The light from the fire sparkled gold against the crystal and silverware on the table. “Aww, Aidan…”

“Dinner for two at the finest _restaurant_ I could find… or recreate.” He held out a chair for her, waiting until she took it before he sat across from her.

As they had seated, Maxwell poked his head into the room. “Ready?”

Aidan grinned. “Perfect timing.”

“Diners, welcome to Chateau Beaumont!” Maxwell came in, wheeling a cart with two covered plates and a bottle of sparkling wine. He popped the wine and started pouring it into flutes.

“Maxwell? You’re our waiter tonight?” Riley stared up at him, surprised.

“Of course!” He smiled widely. “Hey, isn’t it funny, Riley? When we first met, you were _our_ waitress. I hope I can be half as professional as you were!” His eyes met her stare, and he lost his train of thought for a moment. “Now, ahem…” He swallowed quietly and dropped his gaze to focus on the platters. “For your dinner, the finest bubbly Chateau Beaumont can offer and a simple homemade tomato pasta. As requested, Aidan. Enjoy.” He bowed quickly and immediately let himself out of the room.

Aidan lifted his glass of sparkling wine. “What shall we toast to?”

“First dates.” Riley lifted her glass. “So far, this one’s starting out great.”

“Here’s to first dates and the hope that this will continue to be great.” He tapped his glass against hers, and they both took a sip.

Riley looked at her flute thoughtfully. “We should probably toast to Maxwell’s excellent service.”

Aidan looked at her with a question in his eye. “His excellent service…?”

“Yeah, basically we’re putting our lives in his hands since he’s made all the food… Trust me, I’ve seen him make appetizers.”

“You have?”

“Oh, I mean…” _Ugh…_ She hated slipping up like that! “Er, we were helping the staff out… Maxwell likes to get involved, you know.”

“Well, if he’s as good at serving parties as he is at actually partying, then we’re in great hands. Cheers. To Maxwell’s excellent service.” They clinked their glasses together.

“Cheers.” Riley sipped the wine and took a bite of the pasta. “Mmmm! This tastes wonderful…”

“I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure what to request, so I chose this. It’s a simple pasta, but it makes me feel nostalgic… I used to eat this when I was a kid.”

“It’s great. No need to get too fancy on the first date… We can just take it slow and get to know each other.”

“Of course. Now I believe I was promised some awkward icebreaker questions…”

“I’ve got plenty of icebreaker questions for you… For starters, if you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

Aidan laughed. “Excellent. I feel like I’m in a New York bar already.”

“Hey, you’re not off the hook. You still need to answer.”

“One thing, huh? If I _had_ to pick just one thing, I’d say… vanilla milkshakes.”

“Vanilla?”

“Don’t underestimate vanilla. It’s a complex flavor,” he said, giving her a serious look.

“If you say so…” She giggled. “Next one. Are you a coffee or tea person?”

“Coffee or tea, huh? It’s blasphemous given that there is a Cordonian tea ceremony, but I’m a coffee person. I find that I need something a little stronger than tea.”

“Interesting… here’s a weird one for you. Do you believe in aliens?”

“Aliens? I believe that we haven’t yet explored the entirety of space, and even though we haven’t run into anything yet, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

“That’s not a definitive answer, but I’ll take it for now…”

“Are all first-date questions like this? Fun, but a little silly?”

“More or less. I can’t believe you’ve never been on a real first date.”

“Ah, yes, well, as you know, life as part of the royal family can have its limitations since I have to consider things like schedules and security. I’ve been introduced to women I’ve been interested in, of course, but our time together was spent at courtly functions, not on _dates_ in a traditional way.”

“And have you ever been serious about anyone before?”

“Once, I thought I might have been… but the _spark_ wasn’t there.” He reached out and took her hand in his, twining their fingers together. “Before you, Riley, I didn’t even know what was missing with everyone else.”

Riley squeezed his hand gently. “Aidan…”

“And now, what about you? Are there any former lovers I need to worry about? I mean, if that’s not too personal a question.”

“Well… I’ve dated some. Not that many. I’m choosy with who I spend my time with.”

“It’s a good life when you can spend it with the people you truly care about.”

“Yeah… and I don’t regret anything. It’s brought me to this moment, hasn’t it?”

“It has.” He smiled warmly at her, and for the next little while, she and Aidan talked over their meal…

“…What’s the first thing you’d save if your castle was on fire?” Riley asked.

“It would be my guitar.”

“You play guitar?”

“Er, rather horribly.” Aidan grimaced. “But it’s my mother’s. She took it up for fun, but she was great. She’d sing when we went on picnics…”

“Aww… I’d like to hear you play sometime.”

“Yes… sometime.” He looked thoughtfully at her. “Are you more of a cat or a dog person?”

“Did Drake ever happen to tell you about my old roommate in New York?”

He laughed. “I don’t think so. Is there a story to that?”

“Ask Drake… I’m sure he’d _love_ to relive that memory.” She grinned mischievously. “Back to the original question, I’m a dog person.”

“Excellent. We could have an entire kennel.”

“You’re a dog person too?”

“Is it obvious?”

“I _knew_ I was attracted to you for a reason.” She smiled as she poked at her dessert. “You know… when we first met, I told you that I wanted to live each day to the fullest.”

“Do you think you’ve succeeded?”

“Yes. These last few weeks have been full of exciting new experiences I never imagined I’d do in a lifetime! But what’s your dream? Your heart’s desire?”

“More than peace and prosperity for Cordonia?”

“I’m talking to Aidan, not the Prince.”

“Maybe this is sentimental, but it’s been on my mind lately, especially given… well, never mind that. What I really want is to have a family. Maybe not this year or the next, but eventually. And not the type that most kings have, but one where we’re close and listen to each other. I’ve never mentioned it to anyone before. It’s a pretty mundane dream now that I say it aloud…”

“Aidan… I think it’s sweet.”

“I know it’s cliché to say this, but the more I live, the more I realize… life is nothing without the right person to share it with. The most precious thing anyone has is time. You never know just how much you have left. And when it’s gone… it’s gone. I want to spend my time with the people I care about.” He reached out and took her hand in his. “With _you_ , Riley, more than anyone else.”

“Aidan…”

He gazed deeply in her eyes. “I just had to say that. I had to make sure you knew how I felt.”

She smiled softly. “I treasure all of our moments together too.”

“You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that.”

“Well, this got awfully romantic for a first date.”

“Are you telling me that guys don’t lavish you with praise and adoration on all your first dates?”

“No, not exactly.”

“What a pity for those fools, then…”

Later, Aidan walked her back to her room. “Thanks for coming out tonight, Riley… I had a great time.”

“Yeah, dinner was lovely.”

“Does this mean a second date is in the cards?”

“If you want it to be like a real first date, this is probably where you’d say that you’ll text me and then wait a week to actually do it.”

“I could never wait that long.”

“Me neither.” She stopped in front of her door and turned to face Aidan. “Good night, Aidan. I had a nice time…”

He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it. “Good night, Riley…”

“Hmmm…” She gave him an impish smile. “That’s not what I had in mind for a good night kiss…”

“I was working my way up to that.” He leaned down, kissing her sweetly at first, then more passionately as she pressed her body against him. “Riley… somehow kissing you once never feels like enough,” he murmured against her.

“No one told you to stop…” she mumbled, pressing against him further as she felt his body respond to her. He groaned feverishly and pinned her against the door as he lay kisses against her neck, his hands weaving through her hair. “Mmm, that feels nice…”

“Riley…” He moaned against her, as she tugged at his shirt, pulling it up just enough to run her hands over his bare chest and around him, tugging him closer to her.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps down the hall. Aidan immediately let go of her, stepping a respectful distance away. They both breathed hard in the silence, listening. And after a moment, when it was clear no one was walking their way, he smiled ruefully at her. “That was close.”

“Yeah, really. Though being caught in a covert make-out sesh is a classic first date trope!”

“Check that off the list… but really, I have kept you out too late.” He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it. “Good night, Riley…”

“Good night, Aidan.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell stood in the shadows, waiting for the silence to take over the halls once again. Once he heard Riley’s door shut, he finally let loose the breath he had been holding. He hadn’t meant to nearly walk in on them, but then again, he really didn’t expect to walk in on _that._ It was apparent that perhaps Riley was no longer in love with someone else, that perhaps Aidan was truly the number one in her heart as was the plan in the first place.

Bertrand would be thrilled to see how well things were going. Perhaps finally he’d be proud of the _screw-up_ brother who never did anything right in his eyes. Once Riley got through tomorrow night and the Coronation, she would hopefully be the next Queen of Cordonia, and he would no longer be seen as a family failure. He’d be the one who would bring House Beaumont’s grand reputation back onto the road to recovery. And two of the closest people he knew would have found true love. Couldn’t get a better happy ending than that, right?

So why couldn’t he just be happy? A sad smile formed on his face as he looked down at his friendship bracelet. Friends. That’s what they were. He needed to stop dreaming. He leaned against the wall, holding his hands over his heart, his head bowed down. Seeing them together shattered him. He was tired. Tired of pretending, tired of forced smiles, tired of giving so much of himself sometimes… He sighed as he pulled out his phone, reaching out to the one person besides Riley he knew he could count on.

**Maxwell:** Hey. 😥  
 **Maxwell:** Would it be like totally weird if I wanted to call you  
 **Maxwell:** but just not say anything?   
**Maxwell:** It’s possible I might cry a little…  
 **Grace:** 😟💔  
 **Grace:** Take as long as you need.   
**Grace:** I’m here.  
 **Maxwell:** Thank you… 😔

With a final look at Riley’s door, Maxwell turned away, allowing himself to get swallowed up by the darkness.


	16. A Night To Remember

* * *

**WARNINGS: _Chapter contains NSFW content._**

* * *

** Chapter 16: A Night To Remember **

_I hate being addicted  
Only you would have predicted  
That I’d be torn and worn so thin  
You can see right through my soul  
Damn, I hate the way you know me  
Damn, you kill me when you hold me  
Like I’m your world, like this won’t hurt  
Like a favorite curse hitting every nerve  
_ _( **LeAnn Rimes – “Damn”)**_

The next morning, right on cue, Riley looked toward her bedroom door, and a familiar knock sounded out, with Maxwell poking his head in moments later. “Rise and shine, our little budding princess!” He still looked exhausted.

“Are you sleeping at all, Maxwell?” She looked concerned.

He opened his mouth to answer, and then Bertrand strode in. “Up, up, up! Today’s the big day. We’ve prepared the house from top to bottom, and now, for the final step. Preparing our representative lady!” Riley gave him a scathing look as he shoved Maxwell towards the closet. “Go, go, go. Maxwell, make sure she’s presentable.” He stood nearby with his hands behind his back, waiting impatiently.

“Right away!” Maxwell met her eyes and secretly rolled his out of his brother’s field of vision.

Riley walked into her closet where only one dress hung on the rack. It was a sparkling, bright blue off-the-shoulder gown with an ornate pattern of silver and white pearls across the front. “This is quite the… uh, selection,” she said, staring at it.

Maxwell nodded. “It’s all we could get ahold of, but I thought it’d make you look like the princess you’re destined to be! The local dress shop said they’ll charge it to us if we want to keep it. I think we do…”

“Alright… I’ll try it on.” She closed the closet door and slipped the gown on, admiring how it looked on her. She walked out, noticing Bertrand had since left the room. She grinned at Maxwell, waving an arm with flourish. “I await my magical pumpkin carriage…”

“Hmm, fresh out of pumpkins, but I can offer you a paprika-and-caviar appetizer…” Maxwell managed a small smile.

“That works!”

He took a moment to let his eyes roam her up and down, admiring how perfect the gown, as everything else she’d ever wore, fit her. “You look stunning, by the way…” he said quietly.

“…Thank you.” Her eyes met his. “You sure you’re all right?”

He nodded. “I’m fine… nothing a little caffeine fix won’t cure!” His expression transitioned into an excited grin. “Well, now we’ve got your outfit settled for tonight. I think we’ve got this. We’re going to throw the _Best. Party. Eveeeeeeeeeer!_ ”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Afternoon…_

“Maxwell?” Riley opened the door cautiously and peered into his room. She could hear the shower running with music playing loudly… wait… was he listening to _Celine Dion_? And singing along? She blinked. No. Way. She stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. This was actually the first time she had seen it. The place was like a shrine to squids. She giggled as she found a tiny stuffed baby squid on his bed, with huge bubbly eyes staring back at her. _Just adorable._

Looking around, she saw a shipping box sitting nearby. It had yet to be addressed. Inside, she found women’s clothing, a teddy bear, baby board books, and a few other miscellaneous items that told her this package was for a mother and a newborn child. Who did he know that had been pregnant? He wasn’t… a _father_ … was he? This was obviously one of his secrets, but was it what she was thinking? She was so engrossed in her thoughts, she never heard the water stop running. She nearly jumped out of her skin as his voice spoke out behind her.

“Whoa… Riley?!”

“Sorry… do you… do you want to get dressed first or something?” She didn’t turn around, although she didn’t think she would have been disappointed if she did.

“Uh, yeah…” She heard him shuffle around behind her, then pause. “Wait… how long have you been here?”

“Long enough to enjoy the concert, Celine Beaumont!”

“Great…” He groaned in embarrassment, and she could hear more shuffling about as he quickly changed into some clothes. He spun her around to face him. “That does _not_ leave this room, promise?”

“Aww, come on. I bet everyone would love to hear it!”

His mouth dropped. “You’re pure evil, Riley Mason!”

“You wound me, Maxwell.” She feigned shock. “Celine Dion is _only_ one of the greatest singers of our time! Why _wouldn’t_ people want to hear your covers?”

“ _You_ like Celine Dion?” A delighted beam moved across his lips.

“What’s not to like?” She grinned as he high-fived her in response. She glanced back at the box nearby and looked at him. “So… I didn’t mean to look, but it was open and…”

“Oh, that?” He nonchalantly glanced at it for a moment before looking back at her. “It’s just stuff for a cousin of ours. Kind of estranged from the family. Bertrand doesn’t think we should be associating with her, so I’ve been trying to help out when I could.”

“Oh,” she said, suddenly feeling guilty for her earlier thoughts. “Why is she estranged?”

He gave her a sad smile. “I don’t really want to get into it, Riley. Can we just…” A flash of nervousness appeared in his eyes, almost disappearing as fast as it came. “…forget you saw it?”

“Of course…” She looked at him strangely. “…Everything’s okay, right?”

“Couldn’t be better.” He looked down, picking up his phone as it buzzed. “I gotta go meet Drake. We’re finishing some last-minute set-up work before the bash. I’ll meet you in your room this evening before it all starts, sound good?”

“See you then.” She glanced at the box again for a split second, wondering what the mystery was behind this cousin of his. Another Beaumont secret to add to the growing list, she thought, as she walked out the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That evening, as he was finishing preparing for the Beaumont Bash, Maxwell heard a knock on his door. He opened it to find Bertrand standing there. “Ahem. Maxwell, a word?”

“Sure…”

Bertrand stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. “As you know, tonight is vital to House Beaumont’s rising success. We must make every effort to ensure our victory, which means we cannot afford any mistakes.”

“Of course, Bertrand…” He stared at him, expressionless. Of course, his brother would assume he was going to screw this night up somehow and show up to lecture him about it. Did he _really_ expect anything different from the obviously distinguished Duke of Ramsford?

“Now, Prince Aidan is scheduled for his fitting at the boutique in ten minutes. Be sure to have Lady Riley in that room with him.”

Maxwell cast his eyes down. “Yeah, sure, count on it.”

Bertrand scowled at him. “Is there a problem?”

“No.” He looked back up at him defiantly. “She’ll be there.”

“Maxwell…” Bertrand stared hard at him. “I’ve spoken to Lady Riley myself about you two, and she has assured me that you are nothing more than just friends. Now if you’re holding on to some futile fantasy that she’d ever see you as any more than that, I suggest you dispose of those thoughts and get back down to business.”

“Don’t lecture _me_ about feelings for someone else, just because you couldn’t handle your own!” Maxwell bit back.

“What was that?” Bertrand glowered at him.

He’d forgotten he wasn’t supposed to know what had happened between Bertrand and his former lover. He shook his head. “Nothing. I said she’ll be there. Just get out.”

After Bertrand stormed out, Maxwell made his way over to Riley’s room and knocked on her door. “Riley, guess what time it is!”

“Time to impress?” She had just finished dressing up in the gown they had chosen that morning, and she looked as amazing as ever.

“Oh, look at you!” He smiled. “You look fantastic! Way to represent House Beaumont!”

“Well… it’s a big night. I don’t want to miss a thing.”

“If he were here, Bertrand might actually shed a tear…”

“You mean right before ordering you to do his evil bidding?”

He laughed. “Think of it like I’m your assistant and personal trainer all rolled into one.”

Riley shook her head. “Sometimes this feels more like a princess boot camp.”

“Heh, yeah! Exactly.” He saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and noticed Hana was emerging from the bathroom. “Oh, hey Hana!”

“Hi!” Hana smiled. “I came early so I could help Riley cover up these unsightly marks…” She proceeded to apply and blend concealer against Riley’s neck until her scratches were nearly invisible. She looked down at her arm. “These might be a little trickier, but I think we can work with this one.” She produced a thick pearl bracelet that she had procured from the Applewood boutique and slipped it around Riley’s wrist, camouflaging the marks. “Perfect. I’ll just add a little concealer in there to help, and… there!”

Riley looked down at her arm and reached over to hug Hana. “Thank you so much, Hana.”

“Of course!” She returned her hug. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to head to my room and finish getting dressed. I’ll see you down there!” She left the room.

Maxwell looked at her and offered her his arm. “Well… you’re ready, so let’s get to it. Bertrand wanted me to escort you.”

“Escort me where?”

“It’s a surprise!” He led her through the manor and into the boutique.

She looked at him questioningly. “The boutique? But what—”

“I need to oversee a few adjustments to the ballroom decorations. Be your charming self in here.” He quickly exited the room before she could protest.

Riley stared after him. _That was a little weird…_ Just then, a dressing room opened, and Prince Aidan stepped out. “Aidan!”

“Lady Riley…” A joyful smile appeared on his face. “What a coincidence running into you.”

“It’s interesting.” She looked toward the entrance door, then back at him. “I was told to wait here… even though I’m already dressed.”

“I think perhaps _someone_ is trying to give us time alone together.”

“Well… I’m not complaining…” She smiled appreciatively at him. “I like the results.”

“I do too.”

“Seems the Beaumonts are wilier than I thought…”

“I appreciate House Beaumont’s wiliness… There’s no one else I’d rather be left alone with.” He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss against it. “You look like a princess.”

“Oh, you know what they say, ‘dress for the job you want.’”

“I couldn’t think of a better look for one.”

“And is this what you’re wearing tonight?”

“I was just deciding that now…”

“Since we’re hosting, you could dress to match me.”

An intrigued look entered his eyes. “That could cause quite a stir…”

“It’d be a public way to show how close we are…”

“It would… but it’d also be a rather bold move…”

“I’m a fan of bold moves, so I insist. People can blame me for the fallout.”

“Alright, I’m game.” Aidan spoke to the boutique’s seamstress, and a short time later, he came out of the dressing room in a white tux with blue bowtie.

“You look great,” Riley said, reaching up and straightening his bowtie slightly.

Aidan smiled down at her. “I can’t deny that this is one of the finest suits I’ve ever worn… and the fact that you like it makes it even better.”

“We look so cute together!”

“I’ll see you tonight for the party, Lady Riley. Until then.” He bowed before walking out the door.

Maxwell emerged from the other room. “Whew, those were _some_ adjustments that needed overseeing…”

“Uh-huh.” She narrowed her eyes. “Maxwell… was that just an elaborate ploy you and Bertrand put together to get me alone with Aidan?”

He held his hands up defensively. “Whaaat? _Us?_ It’s not like we’re sponsoring you to win the Prince’s hand or anything. That’d be silly. By the way, I couldn’t help but notice that Prince Charming matches our Cinderella…” He stared at her intently. “You two look good together…”

“Thanks.” She smiled.

“Now, I do actually want to escort you to the ballroom. The party’s starting soon, and as hosts, we should be there to greet everyone.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley walked with Maxwell into the ballroom. The luxurious cloth-draped tables had been neatly arranged and decorated with candles and flower bouquets. The plates and silverware gleamed under the soft glow of the lights. “Wow…” she breathed. “It really came together!”

Maxwell nodded in agreement. “I’m sure Bertrand’s pleased with the work… _moderately_ at least.” Just then, the clock in the ballroom struck the hour, and Bertrand came over to them, grinning widely.

“You look uncharacteristically happy…” Riley observed.

“Why wouldn’t I be? We’re showing off the splendor of House Beaumont… And fortune willing, it’s also our chance to show the court just how well the Prince and Lady Riley are suited right before the Coronation… If everything goes well, tonight will be a grand accomplishment. So places, you two! Guests will be let in, and we should greet them with a smile!” Bertrand walked to the doors of the ballroom and threw them open. The room came to life as guests arrived, and servers distributed drinks and appetizers.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Bertrand so happy. It kind of reminds me of how he used to be…” Maxwell said, looking reflectively in his direction. He honestly could not remember how long it had been since Bertrand had held a smile for this long. It almost made his pain worth it to see the smile on his brother’s face now. He turned to Riley, giving her a small smile. “Who knows, we might even see _fun_ Bertrand tonight!”

“Now _that_ I want to see…”

“Honestly, it means a lot to me to see him in such good spirits… Let’s make this night one to remember!”

“Right!” As guests streamed in, she caught sight of Drake. “Welcome to the Beaumont Bash… You’ll recognize some of these fine floral arrangements as yours…”

“Mason…” He nodded to her. “You look ready for the party.” He glanced around the room. “Everything here really came together.”

“I know, right? Though… you don’t look like you’re dressed for the occasion.”

He smirked. “You don’t like my look? This shirt’s clean.”

“I guess that’s the most I should expect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dress up for these fancy events. It might be a nice change of pace.”

“Eh. Fashion is subjective. Besides, people are here to see the Prince, not me.”

Riley shook her head as Hana bounced over to them. “Riley! Maxwell! I’ve never been to the Beaumont estate before. This looks wonderful!”

Maxwell beamed proudly. “Thank you, Hana…”

“And Riley! _You_ look amazing!”

“Thank you. As always, you look lovely too.”

A server came near their group, handing out the caviar-and-paprika appetizers. “Our creations!” Maxwell said excitedly.

“I hope people like them…” Riley murmured to him as she overheard some of the ladies standing nearby.

“Uhh… what is this dish?” Kiara asked, staring at them warily.

Maxwell leaned over to Kiara’s table. “What you have there is a deconstructed delicacy of caviar cultivated from pampered hake fish of the Swedish fjords with paprika harvested from a micro-nursery in Provence,” he explained, as the ladies gingerly took delicate bites of the appetizers.

“Wow… so fancy…” Penelope exclaimed, wide-eyed. “I like them! Spicy, salty, definitely unique.”

“Mmmm…” Kiara closed her eyes, savoring the taste. “It’s reminds me of when I dined at the top of a la tour Eiffel in Paris! Did you use the same chef?”

“Someone comparable.” Maxwell turned back to Riley. “Well, the reactions to our appetizers seem mostly positive.”

“Good! We put our blood, sweat, and tears into those! They should enjoy them.”

Hana gave her an odd look. “That doesn’t sound very sanitary.”

“No, no, it’s an expression…” Drake explained.

“Besides, it’s not like _we_ made the food…” Riley said, laughing it off.

“I think it tastes great!” Hana said.

“Thanks. Er… I mean, I’ll let the chef know.” Riley leaned towards Maxwell and Drake out of Hana’s earshot. “I can’t believe we pulled that off.”

“Yeah.” Drake shook his head. “I really thought this would be a complete disaster.”

“I told you… it’s all in the marketing!” Maxwell said with a confident grin.

Riley smiled, but the smile slowly faded from her face as Madeleine and Olivia entered together. “Duchess Olivia… Countess Madeleine… welcome.”

Madeleine made a quick glance around the room before eyeing her meticulously. “Lady Riley. Don’t you look… well… nice. And the Beaumonts have certainly outdone themselves.”

“Yes, this isn’t as tacky an affair as I’d imagined it would be…” Olivia added with her routine smugness.

Riley met her eyes, giving her a shrewd smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“As you should. Now, let’s get this evening over with… where’s the wine?”

Olivia brushed past her, but Madeleine lingered, looking at Prince Aidan sitting at his table up front before turning back to her. “You must be feeling pretty smug.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“I’ve been hearing some rumors that you’ve become the frontrunner going into the Coronation…”

“Madeleine, it’s not a race.”

“Isn’t it though? In a way?”

“No. It’s about the Prince and who he wants to marry.”

“…Right. Masterful stroke by the way.”

“Hmm?”

“The Prince is wearing something from the House Beaumont collection. I recognize the label. You truly look like you belong together…”

“Thank you!”

“Of course, looking the part and being chosen are two different matters. You never know what might happen…”

“Madeleine…” Riley’s eyes challenged her. “It’s okay to admit defeat.”

Madeleine glared at her. “What is that saying? Pride goeth before a fall? Don’t fly too high, Lady Riley.”

Riley met her glare, not backing down. “May the best woman win.”

“Yes. The _best_ woman.”

As Madeleine walked away, Olivia appeared by her side again, holding a glass of wine. “So…” she said, sipping the wine slowly, carefully glancing around the room. “…Not that I suddenly care about what happens to you… but…” She glanced down at the bruising on Riley’s wrist appearing through the concealer and bracelet, and then stared back up at her. “…What is _that_ all about?”

She figured the bracelet must have rubbed up against the concealer too much, rendering it ineffective. Riley instinctively moved her arm back, smiling casually. “It’s nothing. Just… an unfortunate accident.”

Olivia quirked an eyebrow, sipping her wine again. “If that’s what you wish to call it…” She started to walk away, then turned back to her. “However… should this _accident_ cross your path again…” Riley followed her gaze to see the outline of a dagger showing through the belt of her dress. Olivia stared hard at her, giving her a knowing look before she turned to look for her seat.

Maxwell walked up to her. “I just saw you talking to Olivia. Everything okay?”

“Fine…” Riley answered, still watching after her. Still not friends, but no longer full-on enemies. What did that make them—frenemies?

Bertrand stood up on the dais to address the attendees. “Welcome, everyone. If you’ll please take your seats, dinner will begin shortly.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a server lead Olivia to a table at the front. Olivia grinned self-importantly. “The front, as I deserve.”

Madeleine rolled her eyes. “Don’t get too excited.”

“Jealous, much?”

Riley walked with Maxwell over to the head table, and she took her seat, Aidan sitting to her left, with Bertrand on her right. As the King and Queen were seated beside Aidan, servers came out bearing the main course.

Queen Regina smiled with delight. “Oh, chicken cordon bleu! This is my favorite, Duke Ramsford. How did you know?”

“I didn’t. But I asked the chef to prepare what he thought the classiest meal should be… Apparently, you have exquisite taste.”

“I know you’re flattering me, but I can’t say I mind.”

King Constantine nodded to Bertrand. “The food is delicious, the wine excellent, and the setting is magnificent, Duke Ramsford. You do your house proud.”

“It’s kind of you to say that, sir. I regret that we could only host you for one night…”

“It can’t be helped with the social season coming to an end. We must return to the palace.”

“I can’t believe the Coronation is coming up so soon…” Riley said.

“Yeah, Aidan will soon have a lot of choices to make,” Bertrand agreed.

“I’m feeling confident about my decisions,” Aidan said.

“Are you now?” Queen Regina looked toward him. “Have you already made up your mind on the lady you wish to marry?”

“Well…”

“Now, now…” King Constantine interjected. “He shouldn’t reveal that until the Coronation… It wouldn’t be proper…”

Queen Regina turned toward Riley. “If you were chosen, Lady Riley, do you feel like you’d be ready to marry?”

“It wouldn’t be a cakewalk being married to Aidan…” King Constantine added.

“Of course, she’d be ready,” Bertrand exclaimed.

“Duke Ramsford, no need to answer for her.” Queen Regina gave him a disapproving look.

Riley looked at their expectant faces. “Well… I’d be ready because marriage is about hard work. I’m no stranger to that.”

Queen Regina nodded. “A truthful answer. It is about working through the tough times, many of which would stem from Aidan being the Crown Prince.”

“I know who Aidan is,” Riley said confidently.

Aidan smiled. “You do.”

King Constantine nodded agreeably. “Well, that satisfies me…”

Beside her, Riley could see Bertrand smile. Maxwell was right. This was a new side of Bertrand she had yet to see. Grumpy Bertrand had been absent for most of the night, which was pretty refreshing. She continued to socialize with the royals over the next courses of dinner until they finished with dessert.

“What a delight that meal was,” Queen Regina complimented.

“Dessert makes everything better…” Maxwell said.

“As does good company…” Aidan smiled at Riley, and she laughed softly, looking into his eyes adoringly.

King Constantine looked from the pair of them to Queen Regina and took her hand. “I remember being young once…” he said, looking at her fondly.

She smiled tenderly at him. “I always feel young when I’m with you…”

“Oh, my dear. When all’s said and done, I hope Aidan makes the right choice.”

“That’s what we all hope for, sir.” Bertrand dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, then stood, gathering everyone’s attention by tapping his glass. “Now that the dessert course has been served, the grand hall is now open. Please join us there for the after-dinner festivities!” He led the way as numerous nobles stood up to join him. Everyone proceeded into the grand hall, and Bertrand walked halfway up the staircase. “Citizens, nobles, friends, we’ve gathered here today to celebrate the end of the social season. So, if you’ll hear me out, I’d like to share a few words…”

Maxwell nudged Riley, nodding to the back of the staircase. “ _It’s time to pick our weapons,_ ” he whispered. “ _You and I are going to saber open some champagne!_ ” While Bertrand continued his speech, Riley and Maxwell snuck behind the staircase to the wall of weapons. A couple bottles of champagne lied next to the displays. He watched as she selected a double-edged sword. “Nice. You can break open two bottles at once!” He lifted the flail from the wall.

“…and so, with all of House Beaumont with me, let us propose a toast!” Bertrand said, raising his glass.

“ _That’s our cue._ ” Maxwell led her up the stairs, weapons and champagne bottles in hand.

“To our gracious royal family…”

“To all those here tonight!” Maxwell called out, holding up a bottle of champagne.

Riley held up her sword. “And to the Brothers Beaumont! Our legendary hosts, who I wouldn’t be here without.”

“Let’s rock this place to the ground!” Maxwell swung the flail into a champagne bottle, shattering it entirely. Champagne ran down the steps.

“We’ve never let a lost bottle stop us before. Bring out another!” Bertrand shouted.

“ _Wooooooo!_ ” Maxwell cheered, right as Riley swung, slicing the top off the bottle. Champagne foamed out, dripping onto the stairs. He looked at her in awe. “Whoa… it took me much longer to master that move!”

“From all of us at House Beaumont… thank you!” Bertrand yelled.

Everyone cheered as the servers rushed forward to hand out glasses of champagne to everyone. Maxwell ran to the top of the stairs. The King and Queen approached Riley and Bertrand.

Queen Regina smiled approvingly. “Splendid night, Duke Ramsford, Lady Riley.”

“You’ve delivered the type of enjoyable evening we would’ve expected from a Beaumont celebration,” said King Constantine.

Bertrand puffed up with pride. “You’re _too_ kind, Your Majesties.”

“But we should take our leave. The old folks like us can’t handle the late-night events…”

“ _Bring out the blindfolds!_ ” Maxwell could be heard shouting in the background. “ _Find my bow and arrow! Put an apple on the bust of my great-grandfather!_ ”

Queen Regina eyed him with amusement. “…Though we’re sure it’ll be something to remember.”

King Constantine gave a sarcastic grin to Bertrand. “Try not to incapacitate half the court again.”

“Perhaps only a third this time,” Bertrand joked, causing Riley to turn her head. He _joked_ , as in actually made an effort to be _fun_. Okay, that was it. Who was this man and what had he done with the real Bertrand Beaumont?

They all shared a laugh. Bertrand raised his glass to the King and Queen. “You’ll be sorely missed when you retire, sir. It’s been an honor knowing you all these years.”

Queen Regina waved her hand in dismissal. “Oh, Duke Ramsford, that’s not necessary.”

“I think it is, ma’am! To the Crown!”

Riley raised a glass as well. “To the Crown!”

Queen Regina nodded politely. “Thank you.”

“We’ll see you again at the Coronation, and hopefully the results will be favorable for us all.” King Constantine gave a knowing look toward Riley as he and Queen Regina took their leave.

Bertrand turned to her, a huge smile on his face. “Well, well, well…”

“What? You look pleased…” _Someone should really be recording this!_

“Did you hear that? ‘Favorable for us all.’ Lady Riley, I think the future is looking bright…”

“So… does that mean we’re about to see _fun Bertrand_?”

He simply smiled at her and picked up an open bottle of champagne, taking a big swig. “…Maxwell!”

“What?”

“Let the revelry begin!”

“ _Awwwwwwwww yeah!_ ” Maxwell shouted at the top of his lungs. Music blasted from the sound system, and Maxwell slid down the railing. From the doorways leading into the room, professional dancers and acrobats streamed in. “I hope you’re ready. ‘Cause the Maxwell Special is in the house!” He moonwalked onto the middle of the floor to the music’s increasing tempo. “I am the myth… the man… the legend. Witness meeeee!” He dropped into a flurry of breakdance moves.

Riley rushed down the stairs and jumped into the circle forming around Maxwell. “The star is here!”

“Yeah! Show us what you got, Riley!”

Riley busted a move… then another move… suddenly she was busting moves left and right as the crowd cheered her on.

Maxwell danced nearby, watching her in amazement. “Whoa… She’s killing it!”

“Bring out the horses!” Bertrand yelled.

“The horses!”

Riley looked at Maxwell as he grinned mischievously at her. “The horses?! You’re bringing _horses_ in here?!” she asked, just as someone on staff led out a pair of beautiful steeds. Nearby she could hear Drake, Aidan, and Hana and made her way over to them.

“It’s been less than two minutes and my ears hurt…” Drake groaned.

“Come on, Drake, you usually give it at least five minutes before tapping out,” Aidan teased.

“There’s so much happening!” Hana said.

Drake side-glanced her. “That’s the problem.”

“Who’s ready for a little horse riding?” Bertrand shouted out.

“I am!” Maxwell mounted one of the horses. “Who will be my partner?”

“How about our king-to-be?” Bertrand gestured to Aidan.

“I nominate Drake as my proxy.” Aidan grinned.

“Oh, no, you’re not forcing me in the saddle tonight.”

“I vote for Riley!” Hana called.

“Riley!” Maxwell yelled, reaching for her.

“Come on up then, Lady Riley,” Bertrand said. “Your saddle awaits.”

“I believe I have my own horse, thank you very much,” Riley laughed.

“One that made the trip with me from the palace…” Aidan said, motioning toward the door.

One of the house staff led Midnight Blossom into the room, and she whinnied happily as her eyes fell on Riley. Riley grinned as she mounted her. “Hey, girl. I missed you.” She patted her soft, velvet neck as Midnight Blossom nickered quietly. She rode around the room with Maxwell, waving to the party goers. “My fellow Cordonians… today, I ride for Cordonia!”

“For Cordonia!” Hana and Aidan cheered.

Drake rolled his eyes. “Woo, riding a horse. Yay.”

Maxwell nudged her. “We should let some others ride around on the horses. Don’t worry. Nobody else will ride MB. She’s yours.”

“Fair enough.” Riley dismounted and returned to the party. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and turned to find Aidan standing behind her.

“Riley, I’m glad I caught you…”

“Always happy to be caught. Is something on your mind?”

“We’ll be traveling back to the capitol tomorrow, and the Coronation will be held soon after… We won’t get as much time to see one another, so I wanted to do something special for us… well, for _you._ ”

“Like what?”

“My plan is a relaxing massage in the spa room along with candles, a jet tub… and me.”

“There’s a spa room?”

“Clearly, you haven’t had any down time since you’ve arrived. It’s on the third floor. I was hoping you could jo—”

“Aidan, there you are!” Olivia walked up to him, taking his arm. “Don’t forget that you promised me a drink…”

Aidan smiled apologetically. “Lady Riley, if you’ll excuse me.” He kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “ _If you can, meet me later…_ ”

“ _We’ll see if I can get away…_ ” she whispered back. He nodded and departed with Olivia. As she turned, she nearly bumped into Penelope. “Oh! Sorry, Penelope…”

“Sorry, Riley, I…” Her eyes fell on Riley’s wrist, and her hand flew to her mouth. “ _Oh my god…_ ” she breathed out, her eyes starting to glisten.

She _really_ needed to get back with Hana to help her hide these things better. “Penelope, it’s fine. Nothing to worry about.”

Penelope looked up at her with… was it guilt? She couldn’t tell. “Right… they just look… well… I’m sorry, Riley.” She frowned sadly.

Riley laughed. “Don’t worry about it, Penelope. I hope you’re enjoying the party.” She turned as she heard Drake and Hana calling out to her. “See you around!”

The party continued to rage into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Hours later…_

Fragments of split apples littered the floor. The bust of Maxwell’s great-grandfather was riddled with cracks and chips. An arrow protruded from his eye, while the apple on his head remained unscathed. Kiara laid in the corner of the room while Penelope draped her arms around a nearby horse.

“Too… too much…” Kiara groaned, holding her head. “Je ne me sens pas bien.”

Penelope stared at the horse in drunken adoration. “You know, horse. You and I have so much in common… hair, bodies, an adoration of poodles. You’re like my equine _soulmate_.”

The horse, Apple Blossom, merely stared at her in confusion and nickered quietly.

Bertrand sat against a column, a sword in one hand and an empty bottle of champagne in the other. He lazily swung the sword in the air, slurring his words. “We gave those apples what for!”

In the middle of the carnage, Maxwell continued to dance, blissfully drunk and feeling completely invincible. “Break it down. Nice and slow.”

Riley slowly wandered over to him. “You’re _still_ going?!”

“If I stop, the party stops. It’s like that Louie the Fourteenth quote, ‘I _am_ the party!’”

She shook her head, then grimaced as she put her hand up to hold it. “That or you’re running on a huge adrenaline high…”

Maxwell just laughed. “That’s nothing. I’ve had those before. I am sooooo crashing hard tonight.” He leaned toward her, whispering conspiratorially. “ _It takes you out for twelve hours at least, but it will be some of the best sleep in your life!_ ” He did manage to slow himself down a little as he watched her hold her head. “How’re you feeling? I hope it wasn’t too hard on you.”

She was rubbing the back of it, feeling sore. “I feel like someone smashed a bottle over my head…”

“Oh…” Maxwell finally paused. “That’s probably because you _did_ smash a bottle over your head.”

She jerked her head up to face him in shock, but winced at the movement. “I did _what_?!”

He chuckled. “Yeah… things got wild in here tonight.”

“Did I do anything else?” She looked horrified.

“I don’t know.” He threw up his hands and flashed a drunken grin at her. “ _I’m_ not going to remember, and neither is anyone else!”

Drake made his way over to the two of them, breathing a sigh of relief. “It’s over. I’m finally free.”

“What do you mean ‘it’s over’?” Maxwell protested. “The party is just getting started!”

“Lady Penelope is literally talking to a _horse_.” Drake gestured in her direction with a look of derision. “The party has done its job.”

“Your mane is so _soft_.” Penelope purred as she stroked Apple Blossom’s mane lovingly. “You _have_ to tell me who does your hair.” Again, Apple Blossom just stared at her.

“Back home, this was always about the time we’d break out a game of Truth of Dare…” Riley said, as Hana walked up to meet them. “…but I bet you guys are too _classy_ for that!”

“You’d be betting _wrong_!” Maxwell grinned mischievously. “I _love_ Truth or Dare.”

“‘Truth or Dare’?” Hana’s eyes widened. “That sounds dangerous…”

“Well… only if you have something to hide…” Riley winked. “…or a fear of embarrassing stunts…”

“It sounds… fun!”

“I can’t believe you’ve never played! Now we’ve got to do it!”

Drake slowly backed away from the three of them as they turned to him with eager faces. “Oh no. I’m not playing Truth or Dare.”

“Come on, Drake, we should do it for Hana,” Riley insisted.

“I wouldn’t want to pressure you guys into doing something on my behalf…” Hana said nervously.

“But I would!” Maxwell jumped up and down. “Do it! Do it!”

Drake rolled his eyes and sighed. “I see where this is going…”

“Drake! Drake! Drake!” Maxwell began chanting, with Riley following close behind.

“Okay… fine.” He glared at him. “I’ll play, just _stop_ chanting my name.”

Maxwell swayed his hips back and forth, punching his fist in the air. “Whoohoo! Someone’s going _streaking_ tonight!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Drake and Hana were deep in conversation as Riley opened the door to Hana’s room. “I’m here!” They immediately fell silent as soon as they saw her come in. “What?”

“Nothing.” Hana smiled. “Glad you could make it. Have you seen Maxwell?”

“He’s not here yet?”

The door swung open behind her, and Maxwell burst into the room. “Sorry, sorry…”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “Where have _you_ been?”

“Emergency phone call. Had to take care of something…”

“This late? Who from?” Drake side-glanced him.

Maxwell avoided his eyes. “…No one.” He clapped his hands together. “So we ready to play Truth or Dare yet?”

“This is so exciting! How do we start?” Hana asked.

“Usually with a few drinks.” Drake leaned back in his seat.

“Oooh, there’s a full bar! What do you guys want?”

“Make me something fruity and delicious!” Maxwell squinted his eyes. “I know! I want Sex on the Beach!”

Hana looked shocked. “Oh my! I don’t think…”

Maxwell shook his head. “It’s a drink… Never mind, I’ll make it myself.” He walked Hana over to the bar area.

Drake called out to him. “Hey, pour me some—”

“Let me guess.” Riley smirked. “Whiskey.”

“I’m getting predictable, aren’t I?”

“Maybe just a _little_ bit.”

“What about you, Riley?” Hana asked.

“Sex on the Beach sounded like a winner to me,” she answered, as Maxwell turned to her with a smile, shooting finger guns her way.

Hana and Maxwell brought the drinks back over to Drake and Riley. “Cheers, friends!” said Hana, holding up her glass of champagne. “Thank you for joining me tonight!”

Drake raised his glass. “Cheers.”

“To friendship!” Maxwell toasted.

“To friendship! And Truth or Dare!” Riley echoed.

Drake sighed into his glass. “Oh boy, this is going to be a long night.”

“Drinks have been accomplished! Now, what comes next?” Hana looked at all of them.

“Someone goes first,” said Maxwell.

“Mason should start. This was _her_ idea.”

“Okay, Riley…” Maxwell grinned. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare!”

“I dare you to prank call Madeleine and pretend to be a reporter.”

“Really? _Madeleine_?”

“Yep!”

“Okay, here goes…” Maxwell dialed Madeleine’s number and handed her the ringing phone.

Madeleine’s irritated voice answered the line two rings in. “ _Hello? This had better be important. You’re interrupting my nightly white paper reading._ ”

Riley changed her voice so she wouldn’t be recognized. “Hello, I’m calling from _Trend_ magazine, and I’d like to ask you a few questions…”

“ _At this hour?_ ”

“Er…. the news never sleeps! Now, is there any dirt you can give me on Lady Penelope?”

“ _To be honest, I think she cares more about her pet poodles than all of Cordonia. She’d be a disaster of a queen. Though she’s a sweet girl, and I honestly wish her all the best._ ”

“That’s very interesting. Thank you for your time.”

“ _I’ll be looking forward to seeing it in print!_ ”

Riley hung up and everyone laughed. “Well, now we know what Madeleine _really_ thinks!” Hana giggled.

“Well done, Riley.” Maxwell high-fived her.

“Thanks, but now it’s your turn! Maxwell, truth or dare?”

“Dealer’s choice! I’m not afraid of anything!”

“Okay then… swing from the chandelier and do a back flip off of it!”

“Ohhhhh, things are about to get crazy in here!” Maxwell leaped up from where he was sitting and strode to the center of the room. “Hana, drop a beat!”

She gave him a bewildered look. “How do I… where do I get a beat?”

He waved his hand in dismissal. “Drake, drop a beat!” Drake pulled out his phone and started playing some music. “Prepare to be amazed!” Maxwell sprung forward, easily scaling the fireplace. He teetered on the edge for a moment before jumping off.

“Oh!” Hana gasped, covering her face, but slowly looking out between her fingers.

Maxwell grabbed the chandelier and swung once… then twice… “Are you ready for this?” He locked eyes with Riley before he tucked and did a flip, landing on his hands and striking a pose with his legs kicked out in the air. “Impressed?”

Riley applauded with Drake and Hana. “Very!”

“Next up…” Maxwell looked at Hana. “Hana, truth or dare?”

“Oh… um… truth!”

“Tell us about your first kiss.”

“My first _kiss_?”

“You _have_ been kissed, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“You were engaged, after all!” Riley added.

“Well…” Hana frowned. “…It was actually a very chaste courtship. Our first kiss was in front of a professional photographer for our engagement photo shoot. My parents were insistent that we publish a very public announcement in all of the papers. It was… somewhat awkward.”

“He wasn’t a great kisser?”

“He missed.”

Drake shot her a puzzled stare. “ _Missed_? How?”

“He kissed my ear. Well, he punctured his lip on my earring, actually. He started bleeding. I felt terrible. My parents were furious that he ruined my dress. It was a complete disaster.”

Riley shook her head, giving her a sympathetic smile. “Hana… you deserved a better first kiss than that!”

“Thank you, Riley. But it wasn’t so bad. Looking back, it was actually pretty funny. I mean, who can miss that badly on a kiss?”

“Hah!” Maxwell chimed in. “I know. I mean. What a loser…”

“Maxwell…” Drake gave him a mordant look.

“Okay, maybe I accidentally kissed someone’s _chin_ but that’s, like, a totally understandable mistake, right? I mean, it’s right below the mouth…” Maxwell downed the rest of his drink.

Hana giggled. “Yes, that’s completely normal.”

“Okay, my turn again!” Maxwell leaned against the wall. “Riley, I dare you go to streak through the ballroom in your underwear!”

Hana and Drake met each other’s eyes for a split second and then stared at him in disbelief. “That’s not fair!” Hana protested. “It’s not her turn.”

“Yeah, and she didn’t even choose ‘dare’,” Drake added.

Maxwell shrugged his shoulders unapologetically. “Well _someone_ should streak tonight or this game is a bust.” He lazily dropped his head to the side and glanced at Riley. “Come now, Riley, it’s your game. Who will it be?”

Riley’s eyes challenged him to take on his own dare, but before she could actually say anything, Drake spoke up. “Oh hell, I’ll do it.” He shook his head as they all stood and made their way to the now-empty ballroom. He slowly stripped down to his underwear, giving them a cynical look. “The things I do for you people.” He took a deep breath and sprinted through the room.

“Woo! Go Drake!” Riley cheered.

Drake sprinted back and stopped in front of the three of them. “Satisfied?” He watched as Maxwell began to reply, but then froze, his face transitioning into a shocked expression. “Maxwell, what is the—” He turned to see Riley tugging her dress off. “…Mason, what are you doing?”

“I’m going to join in!” Her dress pooled at her feet, and she stepped out of it, leaving her in a lacy bra and underwear. She grabbed Hana’s hand. “We can’t make Drake be the only one. Come on, Hana!”

“Okay! It does look fun!” Hana giggled, pulling off her dress as well, revealing her lacy apparel underneath. She raised her arms in the air. “Let’s go!”

“Damn…” Drake muttered to himself, looking back over at Maxwell who was making a strong effort to keep composed. His eyes were completely glued to Riley. _You’re not obvious at all, are you?_

“Maxwell?” Riley stepped toward him, tugging at the hem of his shirt. “Going to join us?”

Maxwell squirmed visibly and backed away, holding his shirt down. “I’m good… I’ll be the photographer!”

Riley narrowed her eyes at him. “Maxwell!”

“I mean, I’ll stand guard!”

Drake rolled his eyes. He already knew about that ridiculous tattoo of Maxwell’s that the guy had refused to reveal, but he was pretty damned sure that was not the only thing he was trying to keep hidden this time. “Are we doing this or not?”

Carrying their clothes, Riley, Drake, and Hana took off running around the ballroom.

“Woooooooo!”

“Freeeeeedom!”

“Truth or Dare!”

They all raced by Maxwell and back to Hana’s room, where they collapsed together on the bed, laughing and panting.

“I can’t believe we just did that!” Hana exclaimed.

“Ah, the magic of Truth or Dare!” Drake chuckled.

“This was so much fun tonight! Thank you.”

“Yeah, you know me. I don’t need much of an excuse to party,” said Maxwell.

“And I’m… still not sure why I came this time, but I guess I’d do it again…” Drake grudgingly admitted.

A big smile broke out on Hana’s face. “Drake, I think we’re graduating from friends to _best_ friends!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa… let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Maxwell shrugged, grinning. “I dunno, man. We drink together, goof off together, spend most of our time together…”

Riley leaned against Hana, giggling. “…Get naked together… well, most of us…” She nudged Maxwell, who looked away quickly.

“…No.” Drake raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t we be getting dressed now, speaking of… well…”

Riley, obviously feeling the effects of her last few drinks, continued to giggle. “We have clothes?” she joked.

“Oh boy…” He shook his head. “You’re cut off, Mason.”

Drake and Hana pulled their clothes on quickly, and Hana helped Riley with her dress. Hana then turned and hugged Drake’s arm. “It’s too late for you, Drake. We _are_ best friends!”

He looked down at her, a capitulating smile forming across his lips. “I guess I’m just going to have to accept this, huh?”

Riley grinned. “It’s probably for the best. You could do _much_ worse than the three of us.”

“That’s true, isn’t it?” He sighed. “Okay. You got me.”

“Yay!” Maxwell and Hana cheered in succession.

“Please tell me this isn’t a thing we do now…”

“Drake… this is not a thing…” Riley said.

“Thank God. At least someone still has some sanity.”

“Just kidding…Yay!”

He hit his palm against his forehead. “I’m surrounded…”

“But in a good way, right?” Maxwell laughed.

“I said what I said.”

Hana stifled a massive yawn, and Maxwell turned to look at her. “Okay… we should probably call it a night before we break Hana…” Everyone mumbled in agreement and turned to each other to say their goodbyes.

“Good night! This has been a very memorable evening!”

“Good night, guys.”

“G’night!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_I get reckless, scared, confused  
I feel desperate so for you  
And you know it, yes you do…_

_…Damn, I’m fighting and I’m losing  
And damn you, you’re pulling and I’m pushing  
I’m wrestling with, I toss and twist  
Till finally I give in  
Damn  
_ **_(LeAnn Rimes – “Damn”)_ **

Riley stumbled as she made it into her bedroom, and Maxwell grabbed onto her arm to steady her. “Easy there,” he laughed.

She giggled as she came to rest on the cushioned bench against her bed. “This has been a hell of a night.”

“That’s the mission of any Beaumont Bash!” He sat down beside her, letting her fall against him.

“Hey…” She grinned, suddenly sitting back up. “I say we continue this game, but let’s just stick with the ‘truth’ side of it… that is, if you’re down for that…”

“Hey, I’m not afraid of anything! Let’s do this.”

“Okay, then… I’ll start…” She attempted to focus on him before leaning back against the bedframe. “Tell me a secret that no one else knows about you.”

He leaned back against the bedframe with her, searching for an answer. “Bet you’ll never have guessed this one… I hate carousels.”

“Really?” She looked at him disbelievingly. “I thought everyone _loved_ carousels…”

He shook his head. “Well, it’s true… See, when I was little, the royal court took all the kids to a theme park for the Prince’s birthday. But when we were on the carousel, some reporters got in and mobbed us. The security team did their best to get us all out of there, but I was the last one they got to. So, I was stuck on this dumb carousel for what seemed like forever with people taking pictures and shouting questions at me. I was only three… I had no idea what was really going on. And because our parents had spent so much time trying to warn us about dangers, I thought I was about to get murdered.”

“Aww… Maxwell…” She leaned her head on his shoulder.

He smiled. “I’m fine. It was a long time ago.”

“Still…”

“Aw, seriously, Riley, I’m fine! Just forget it!” He furrowed his brow for a moment, thinking of a question. “Okay, I’ve got a great one for you. If you were stranded on a deserted island, where you’ll never see anyone or any civilization ever again… which one of us would you want with you?”

“Easy. You!”

“Me?!”

“Of course! I can’t think of anyone more fun to have with me. If you’re there, it wouldn’t even feel like we’re stranded… Every day would be like a tropical celebration.”

Maxwell squinted his eyes, imagining the scene. “I mean, I can’t build a shelter, but I can see us now with a coconut in each hand, sipping our drinks as we party it up…” He side-glanced her with a wicked grin. “I _assume_ we found some rum somewhere.”

“Of course!”

“Knowing Drake, he’d be all cynical and say the two of us would starve in a week…” He laughed.

“Well, at least we’d die happy!”

“You know… I’m sure we could train some animals to play the drums, so we’d have music… It’d be a non-stop party!”

“Morale _is_ the most important thing in those situations. You have to keep your spirits up. And I don’t know anyone who’s better at that than you, Maxwell.”

He threw his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a one-armed hug. “Aw… thanks, Riley.”

“Okay, Maxwell, it’s your turn to answer again.” She narrowed her eyes playfully. “Hmmm… tell me… just who were you talking to earlier that made you late to our friendly game in the first place?”

The smile faded from his face and his arm around her shoulders noticeably went limp. “I… I can’t tell you about that, Riley… That’s a secret I can’t talk about.”

“It seems you keep many secrets, Maxwell.” She twisted her whole body so she was fully facing him. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I know, Riley, it’s just…” He sighed. “Those _secrets_ belong to others. If I said something, I’d be betraying their trust. I would never do that to them.”

Riley stared at him, nodding slowly. “Okay… I get that…”

He exhaled slowly, thinking hard. “I suppose there’s something I can say that _relates_ to that subject…” He bit his lip as she waited intently for him to continue. “Sometimes keeping other people’s secrets scare me. I mean, yes, it’s my choice to, but…” He looked away. “I’m scared if they ever come out, I’ll lose my friends. It’s why I… why I never really got close to anyone before… why no one really knows much about me. It’s just easier if…”

“Maxwell…” She reached over and touched his face, making him look at her. “You’ll never lose me.”

He stared down at her, his eyes sad. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Riley. I won’t hold it against you…”

“I mean it.” She took her other hand and put it against the other side of his face. “You have done nothing but support me and have my back since I came to Cordonia. I don’t care what kind of trouble you’re facing, Maxwell Beaumont. Whether you want to keep hiding it from me or not, I will never walk away. You can _always_ talk to me.”

He reached up, taking her hands in his and gently removing them from his face. He still held onto them as he looked at her with an expression of both hope and resignation. “I suppose we’ll find out if that time should ever come, won’t we?”

Hurt flickered across her eyes, but she did not respond.

“Hey… I guess you get to ask a different question…” he said, breaking the silence. “…since I wasn’t able to answer your last one.”

“Fair enough.” She nodded. “Okay… the question is… if you could spend a single night with anyone, no strings attached, who would you want to spend it with?”

“You. No question.” The words spilled out of his mouth before he even had time to think of what he was saying. If the two of them hadn’t sobered up by then, his words definitely sobered them up at that moment. He stared wide-eyed at the shock in Riley’s eyes and opened his mouth to say more, but he could no longer find his voice.

The tone in her voice was slow and even as she processed what he’d just said. “…So… you’re saying… you’d have the chance to be with anyone in the world, nothing holding you back, no strings attached, no emotions involved, virtually a meaningless hookup…” Her eyes bore straight into his. “…and you choose… _me_ …”

“No different than a night as friends with benefits, right?” He shrugged, trying to play it off, while silently filled with panic and dread inside.

“…Right.” She wanted to be angry with him, and at the same time, her pride wanted nothing more than to prove him wrong. Anything that happened between them could never be just _nothing_. He just _couldn’t_ see her like any other person… or could he? She breathed in sharply. “And you don’t see it having any affect whatsoever on our friendship?”

“We’ve already kissed once, and we did fine, right?” _Will you just_ stop _already?!_ His mind was screaming loudly at the back of his head, it was almost an echo. But he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t let her know the idea thrilled and terrified him all at the same time. He’d been through the motions on one-night-stands before. He knew how to handle these things. Though one look at her and he knew he was already in front of more than he could handle…

“Fine…” She stood up, grabbing his hands and pulling him up with her. “Let’s go then.”

“What… _now?!_ ” His eyes grew wide.

She shrugged, forcing her emotion back behind her eyes. “The Coronation’s not until tomorrow. After that, I may very well be committed to Aidan. Now is the perfect time… unless of course, this _does_ mean something to you…” She leaned her face toward his as if to kiss him. “…We could stop right now…”

His eyes flitted to her lips, his mind now in full panic mode as he could already feel parts of his body responding to her closeness. He instinctively took a step back. “…I don’t… I don’t know if… Riley, maybe we shouldn’t…”

She closed the distance between them, her face moving back up towards his. “You know what I think?” She stared at him, her eyes half-lidded, their faces now only inches apart. “I don’t think it means nothing to you at all. I think you’re actually scared to find out what would happen.”

He met her stare, gazing at her intensely. “I’m not scared…” His voice came out low and husky with a slight tremor.

“Then tell me, Maxwell… what are you feeling?”

“I don’t know…” he whispered, shutting his eyes and leaning his forehead against hers. “This is different from anything I’ve ever felt before…” He swallowed hard. “…and…”

“…And?”

His breathing was slowly becoming rapid as his eyes flew back open, his pupils now fully darkened with desire. “And I’m afraid I might lose control if you kissed me this time…” He palmed her cheek softly, stroking it with his thumb as he searched her face carefully. “You should walk away now…”

Everything in her told her to move away, but she couldn’t find the strength as the look in his eyes overpowered her. “…I don’t think I could if I tried.” She closed her eyes at his touch. “And somehow I don’t think you want me to either…”

She reached up, pulling his head down to her, and their lips met, softly at first. His strong arms snaked around her, one curling around her waist and the other across her back. His embrace tightened as his kiss grew deeper, hungry for more of her. His tongue swiped teasingly across her bottom lip, slowly begging entrance to her mouth. She let him in, and his tongue flicked playfully against hers, as they tasted the sweet and tart citrusy flavors of the sex on the beach cocktails they had drank earlier. His fingers had just begun searching her clothes for the fastenings when she reached up to stop him.

“Not so fast…” She gave him an amatory smirk. “You first.”

A small, frustrated groan emitted from his throat, but he managed a roguish grin. “Alright… but only if you give me a show when it’s your turn.”

“Deal.”

She began undoing his shirt button by button, and he stared down at her heatedly, feeling shivers run down his spine while she slowly kissed every inch of his chest as she exposed it. Then, she paused. He studied her expression, wondering if she was finally having second thoughts. And then, he saw it in her face, the sparkle of amusement in her eye, the slight curve of a smile on her lips. He’d forgotten about that damned tattoo.

“Is _this_ what you were hiding from me the other morning…?”

“ _Please_ don’t tell Bertrand about this.” He blushed furiously, his body tensing.

She quirked an eyebrow and stared up at him. “And how would I even _begin_ to tell him?” She let out a slight giggle as she lightly ran her fingernail over his chest, slowly tracing over the tattoo of the adorable baby hippo she had discovered on his body. “This tattoo is seriously the best thing I’ve ever seen…”

He looked at her in surprise. “Really? You like it?”

“Love.” She corrected him. “I _love_ it.”

“Aw…” He noticeably relaxed against her. “Heh, now I wish I’d shown it to you sooner!”

“So…” She continued tracing the lines of the hippo. “Would I be correct in guessing there’s a story of some sort behind this?”

“Kinda…” He smiled shyly. “When I was a kid, my mom would call me her little hippo.”

Her smile grew wider as she paused tracing the tattoo and looked up at him. “I didn’t think it was possible for this moment to get better, but here we are.”

“I was kind of chubby when I was younger, before I got into dancing. My dad was really hard on me about it, but my mom never made me feel bad. She was really smart and funny. She said I was just like a hippo… fun-loving, but tough, and always able to make her smile. And she made them sound really cool and amazing.” He sighed, giving her a brave look. “Anyway, when she passed away, I wanted to do something to commemorate her. I told Bertrand I was going to get something done… I guess he thought I meant like, having some artwork commissioned… so he was pretty surprised when he saw this.”

She laughed softly, picturing how that conversation must have went. “I can imagine… I suppose it doesn’t particularly fit with the image of House Beaumont that Bertrand’s striving to maintain…”

“Yeah, this was more or less his second to worst nightmare. Or so he keeps telling me, anyway. So, he said that if we’re ever around the nobility or servants, I had to keep it covered up. But… I can trust you, right?”

“Maxwell, you know I’ll never tell anyone.” She traced over the tattoo with her lips, showering the area with feather-like kisses, making him shudder in pleasure once again. She resumed unbuttoning the rest of his shirt, eventually pushing it over his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. He took a step back and she took a moment to admire her work.

“Here I am, in all my glory! Well, half my glory with my pants still on.”

“Wow…” Her eyes raked over his muscular chest and chiseled abs. “All that dancing has really paid off!”

“I did it for the groove, but the body sure doesn’t hurt.” He grinned, feeling a touch of pride as she stared appreciatively at his form.

“I’ll say. But I’m not done with you yet.” She crooked a finger and beckoned him toward her. Now, bring those abs over here, pronto! I want to finish what I started…”

“Release the kraken!!” he called out.

She giggled and pull him toward her by a belt loop, slowly working at his belt buckle. Maxwell leaned in and trailed kisses down her neck as she worked, inhaling her intoxicating cherry blossom perfume. Soon, his pants fell to his ankles and he kicked them the rest of the way off. He grabbed her arms and stared down at her with a mischievous grin. “Now… I believe I’m owed a strip tease…”

She returned his grin with a sultry smile. “That, you are.” She pushed him down into a nearby armchair and took a few steps back to give him a full view. Little by little, she moved the top of her dress down to bare her skin, deliberately making a show of undressing, taking her time and exaggerating her movements. She would move the dress down, then back up, then down lower, and keep up the cycle, teasing him. He watched fervently, his hands digging into the sides of the chair as he resisted jumping up and ripping the dress off himself. Finally, she had removed the dress, and she made sure to bend over at the waist to place it upon the floor. Soon, she stood before him in nothing but her underwear. “What do you think?”

He eyed her hungrily, motioning for her to get closer to him. “I think you’re incredibly sexy and you should get over here right _now_.”

She sashayed over to him and made herself comfortable into his lap, straddling him in his seat. He drew in his breath sharply, placing his hands on her hips to support her. She bent down and crashed her lips against his, her hands resting against his muscled chest. He pulled her closer, pressing her hips against his, and rocked her against him. She let out a low moan within their kiss as she felt his hard member press against her.

She breathed heavily, leaning her head against the side of his. “How about we take this to the bed?” she moaned against his ear. She stood, pulling him up with her, and walked over to the bed. When they reached the foot of the bed, she turned to face him.

He wrapped her in his embrace, but stopped just shy of kissing her again, gazing at her questioningly. “I’m not sure I should even say anything because I _really_ don’t want to ruin this, but… I’m still kinda surprised by all this…”

Her lips stayed within an inch of his as her eyes flew up to meet his. “I sort of wondered what it would be like, you know? Sparks kind of flew when we kissed the first time, but I never got to see where that road leads. I couldn’t turn down the chance to find out before…” She trailed off and shook her head. “…Not important. Any more questions?”

He studied her face, wondering if it was just the alcohol talking or if perhaps somewhere in there, she really _did_ have feelings for him. He knew they were close, but did she really want someone like him when she already had Aidan? He really didn’t want to debate it right now as he held her in his arms. At least, for tonight, she was _his_. “Nope!”

He bridged the space between them, kissing her deeply and holding her close to him. His mouth left hers, trailing along her jaw, down her neck to her collar bone, showering her with impish kisses and lingering on the more sensitive areas as she moaned softly against him. A mischievous smile crossed his face, and he lifted her off the ground, setting her down on the cushioned seat against the foot of the bed. He knelt before her, slowly, reverently slipping her underwear down her legs.

She barely had time to register its fall to the floor, because in the next moment, his head was between her legs and she felt his mouth working against her. “Oohhh god, _Maxwell_ …” she moaned, falling back against the bedframe.

He paused, lifting his head up, smiling. “How’s that?”

“Good… no, _perfect_!”

“So… I shouldn’t stop?”

“No, don’t stop! _Don’t stop_!” she pleaded.

He dipped back down, his tongue tracing elaborate patterns onto her skin. She gripped the edge of the seat, writhing blissfully against him. He began to hum, and her body started to tingle in response. Her muscles tensed for a moment, then released, building pressure. He flicked his tongue against her, and she tensed again. He chuckled softly, enjoying her reactions. He allowed a hand to wander up to her chest, following the contours of her breast and applying gentle pressure, earning another moan out of her. His other hand reached out for hers, intertwining their fingers. She held his hand tight as the patterns he traced sent shivers down her spine. He slowed his pace briefly, then sped up, then slowed it again, and she was losing herself to the sensations, letting the waves of gentle, building pleasure wash over her.

“Maxwell…” she gasped, stopping him and tilting his head up to meet her gaze. “If you keep going, I’m going to…” She moaned loudly as he reached up and swiped a finger lightly against her sensitive nub.

He smirked at her. “I fully intend to make that happen, little blossom.”

He moved back down, applying more pressure as he resumed. His tongue swirled furiously against her as his fingers dug into her hips. His touch elicited pleasant tingles in her thighs, and she moaned his name as he tightened his grip on her hips. She could feel him smile against her in response. It sent a jolt of electricity through her body, and she moved a hand to the back of his head to steady herself. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his tempo increased, and the tension became almost too much to bear as the pressure continued to build inside her.

“I’m close,” she panted.

He swiftly moved up to face her, embracing her tightly, reaching down and letting his fingers swirl rapidly against her. Her thighs were trembling as the pressure began to overwhelm her. “Yes, little blossom… let go for me…” he mumbled against her ear. She opened her mouth to cry out, and he instantly covered her mouth with his, swallowing her screams as her body jerked and writhed against him.

Her body fell limp against him moments later, and he helped her lay back onto the seat to rest. She looked over at him, reaching a hand out. “Get up here.”

He smirked and obeyed her order, letting his boxers fall to the floor. He slowly climbed onto the cushioned seat, easily climbing on top of her. She closed her eyes, relishing the weight and feel of him as he sunk down onto her, sheathing himself inside her. He moaned blissfully at the feel of her around him. “Oh, _Riley_ …” He braced himself against the side of the bench and rocked his hips against hers.

She could feel the pressure mounting again as she moved her hips in perfect sync, one hand on his waist. “Oh my god…” she cried out, pulling him close and nipping at his shoulder. Suddenly, heat rippled through her body and stars clouded her vision. “Oh… Maxwell, yes… _Yesss!!!_ ”

Hearing his name on her lips and feeling her release around him, he immediately found his own release seconds later as he shuddered and groaned against her, holding her tight as the two of them rode it out together.

Several long, ecstatic minutes later, Maxwell collapsed beside her and pulled her into his arms. “Riley… _Wow…_ ” he breathed.

“ _Definitely_ wow…”

“I’m glad you had a good time too. Because I had a _really_ good time. Like… I can’t emphasize enough how good a time I just had.”

“I assure you, the feeling’s mutual.”

“Good.” He mustered the energy to stand, pulling her to her feet with him, then immediately and dramatically collapsed onto the bed. “Ooh, so much comfier…”

Riley joined him on the bed and curled up against his side. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to him. The two of them remained silent for several moments as their breathing returned to normal and their minds slowly processed everything.

“Are you okay?” he finally asked.

“I’m…” She stared ahead, not looking at him, still trying to gather her thoughts. “I’m okay… I guess, considering I’m now part of a long line of… well… how many does this make for you?”

He chuckled, blushing slightly. “You don’t want to know that number… actually, I don’t really have an exact count myself.” His expression grew thoughtful as he gazed down at her. “Seriously though… I don’t think of you as one of them…”

“How was this any different? It didn’t mean anything, right?” She still couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

“Well… yes and no…” He stroked her hair as she looked up at him. “See, having done this with someone like you—” He shook his head. “Wait, what am I saying, there’s _no one_ else like you…”

“What _are_ you saying, Maxwell?”

“…I’m just saying… _this_ time… it was something… because you’re not just anyone. You’re my best friend… and I can’t think of anyone better to have a single night of fun with.” He twisted a strand of her hair around his finger, then let it go.

“Meaning… I’m a step up from a regular fling?”

“Hardly…” He leaned on his side, propping himself up on one arm, facing her. “Riley, since we’ve known each other, we’ve had this… _connection_ … a closeness to each other that I’ve been grateful to have… I guess what I’m trying to say is this was nowhere near _just_ a fling… Let’s just call it a fun night between best friends… because that’s how I’m going to remember it.”

Tenderness lit up in her eyes. “So… it really _did_ mean something.”

“Yes… but just for tonight.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Tomorrow, it’s back to staying best friends and making it our mission to get you crowned the next Queen of Cordonia.”

“Right…” She cast her eyes down, focusing on his baby hippo tattoo. After all he had just told her, was he really able to just turn it off just like that? Could they go back to the way they were without anything having changed between them? Like the night that meant something in truth actually meant _nothing_? She shut her eyes, masking her emotions. “Well… it’s been an amazing and exhausting day, so I think it’s time for me to get some sleep.”

Maxwell yawned, sitting up slowly. “Same, I guess…” He rose from the bed and collected his scattered clothing, putting everything back on. He waved to her from the door. “Good night, little blossom…”

“Good night…” she answered quietly.

The door closed behind him, and he let out a long, deep breath, shaking his head. _I swear I’m going to wake up tomorrow and wonder if any of this was real…_ He had hoped his answers would appease her somewhat, but he could see she was still conflicted. What he had really wanted to do was tell her the real truth—this night was not just something… it was _everything_. Tonight, he’d had the greatest gift in the world lying in his arms and calling his name over and over as he worshipped the beautiful goddess that she was. But he had already screwed things up enough as it was. This night should not have happened. They could never take this back. Did he regret it? No. But she was right when she said he was scared of what would happen next. He pulled out his phone, scrambling to type a message out to Grace. _I really messed up tonight_ , he typed out. _I don’t know what t—_

“Maxwell?” Startled, Maxwell looked up to see Aidan appearing through the darkness of the hallway, looking at him curiously. He eyed Riley’s door behind him and stared at him. “Isn’t that… Lady Riley’s bedroom?”


	17. Not Over Yet

** Chapter 17: Not Over Yet **

Maxwell stood frozen for a moment as Aidan towered over him, an almost accusatory look in his eyes. “I… Riley was…” He shook his head. “Sorry, still a little partied out,” he lied, taking a deep breath to calm himself. “We were all playing a late game of Truth or Dare. By we, I mean, Drake, Hana, her, and I… By the time it was over, she was pretty drunk and had trouble walking. I was just helping her up here to make sure she didn’t get hurt.” Damn, he knew he was exhausted. That was _the_ lamest, most transparent excuse in the world. There was no way Aidan was going to—

“Oh.” The accusatory stare disappeared. “I guess that makes sense.”

_Seriously?!_

“I was wondering why she never contacted me about where to meet.”

_Wait… they were supposed to meet up tonight?_ Maxwell’s heart began pounding faster at the thought. _She chose… spending time with…_ me _… over Aidan?_ He couldn’t wrap his mind around this one.

“I unfortunately never actually told her where to go, so I thought I would come find her, but it seems she wasn’t able to make it, I suppose.” Disappointment entered his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. “No matter. I shall find some time during the Coronation.” He beckoned for Maxwell to follow. “If you’re all done here, why don’t you come with me? We haven’t had much time to chat during the social season. Now seems a good time as any.”

“…Sure.” He followed him nervously. Was this really going to be a friendly chat? Or did he know more than he let on and actually want to take him back to his room to privately rip him to shreds?

Aidan led him to his room, gesturing toward some seating inside. “Please, sit.” He walked over to the bar. “I’m sure you’ve had your fill of alcohol for the night. Perhaps some coffee? Tea?”

“Coffee would be great, thanks.”

“I’ll keep it decaf so you can get _some_ sleep after this.” Aidan laughed.

“Please, Aidan, sleep is overrated. Bring on the caffeine!” Maxwell started to feel a little better.

Aidan brought over two hot mugs of coffee, taking a seat next to him. “I have to say, this has been quite the season. I never dreamed it would end up this way.”

Maxwell sipped at the steaming mug of coffee, relishing in its warmth. “Tell me about it. Who knew they’d bring Madeleine back as a contender, amIright?”

Aidan grimaced, shaking his head. “She was never right for Leo, nor is she right for me. She has many strengths that would do well for Cordonia if she were to become queen, but… the woman is wound too tight for my tastes. Unfortunately, it’s been… difficult convincing my father and Regina of that.”

“Surely they’ve been able to see how awesome Riley’s been doing.”

“Oh they notice…” Aidan sipped his coffee. “She’s just not _Cordonian_ enough.”

Maxwell put the coffee cup against his forehead, groaning. “That’s not going to kill her chances, is it? I mean, she’s gotten this far and done so well…”

“It’s not over yet, Maxwell,” Aidan reassured him. “I’m hoping to sway them before the ceremony. In any case, Riley has already won over the court, the Cordonian citizens, and…” He smiled. “…me.”

Maxwell forced out a smile, raising his mug to him. “I’m happy for you, Aidan. No one deserves this more than you.”

“It’s funny how things work out,” Aidan mused. “You take a spontaneous trip with your friends to New York, expecting to return to life of mundane servitude and internal misery. And instead, you meet the most amazing woman in your life, who secretly conspires with your friend to show up to your home…” He smiled at Maxwell. “…and take the challenge of ensuring a place by your side.” He lifted his mug to him. “Maxwell, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done. The more I’ve gotten to see her, know her, spend time with her… I couldn’t imagine having anyone else by my side. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. Rest assured the reputation of House Beaumont will soar after this.”

Another forced smile. Heart internally shattering. Mugs clinked. Maxwell sipped his coffee carefully before he spoke. “I’m glad I could help.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Riley woke up and glanced tiredly at the clock, her eyes going wide as she noticed it was nearly noon. She shot up from her bed in a panic. “I… what? I must’ve slept in!” She darted out of bed and out into the hall. Descending the stairwell, she could see a few members of the house staff plus Bertrand and Maxwell cleaning up last night’s mess. “Hey,” she said, approaching them. “Why’d nobody come get me?”

“You earned a day to sleep in,” Bertrand answered, not looking up as he adjusted some pictures on the wall.

Riley stared at him in surprise. “I… did?”

“We also thought it’d be better if we minimized the destruction from last night before you woke up.” Maxwell had a bag in his hand, cleaning up broken bottles, paper trash, and miscellaneous streamers and decorations littered on the floor.

“I could’ve helped you guys… you know that, right?”

Bertrand waved his hand in dismissal. “We don’t want you wasting your energy when we’re heading into one of the most important events of our lives…”

“The Coronation Ball is next, and after last night, all eyes are going to be on you!” Maxwell offered her a small smile.

“So, get what sleep you can. It’s not long before we depart for the palace.” Bertrand gestured for her to return to her room, then continued straightening pictures across the wall.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey.” Riley knocked on the open doorway as Maxwell packed for their trip to the palace.

He looked up at her. “Oh… hey.” He looked back down at the clothes he was folding, continuing to pack.

Awkward silence.

“Crazy how we’re pretty much done with all this, huh?” Riley folded her arms, walking inside to sit on a massive squid chair. “I was just getting used to the endless parties. Now it’s all ending.”

Maxwell chuckled. “That’s probably for the best. There’s an effect called the “Beaumont Hangover” where every party after ours doesn’t compare for at least a few months.” He picked up the stuffed baby squid she had seen the other day and packed that in his case. He caught her smiling at him. “What?”

“Do you _sleep_ with that?”

“You didn’t see that…” He blushed lightly. “It’s kinda more of a piece of home that I keep with me wherever I am. My mom gave him to me shortly before she… well… yeah, so I never leave without it.” He pulled it out, patting its head. “Bertrand thinks I’m totally ridiculous.”

“Well, I think it’s sweet.”

His eyes stared at her adoringly for a moment, before he looked away, continuing to pack. “So… you all ready for the Coronation?”

“That’s… sort of why I came to talk to you…”

He paused, not meeting her eyes. “Oh?”

“Maxwell… last night, when we…”

“Riley.” He turned to her quickly. “It was a night of fun between friends, remember? That’s all it was.” He forced out a smile as he walked over to sit near her. “I had a great time with you… but I expected that. Being as good of friends as we are, I know we’ll always have fun.”

“But Maxwell, what if it wasn’t _just_ fun…” She grabbed his hand.

He looked at her hand nervously, pulling away and standing up to walk back toward his suitcase. “Riley, remember how I told you it’s easy to get close to people during the social season?” He shut his eyes, lowering his head. “I’m sorry if last night made you feel something you weren’t supposed to, but… this is not what you want and you know it.” _She_ can’t _want me. There’s no possible way she would really want anything to do with me…_

“And how do you know what I want?”

“You’re in love with Aidan.” He turned back to meet her gaze. “We’ve all seen you two together. You’re both so happy around one another, and you complete each other. Even the entire court can see how much you two belong together. No one is more in love with you than he is.” _Except maybe… okay, just stop. It’s over. She doesn’t belong to you._

“Aidan…” She said his name slowly. “Right…” She looked over at Maxwell sadly. “I guess you might be right… It _was_ a great night, and I suppose I could still be feeling some weird emotional high off of it…” _Who are you trying to convince? Don’t bother. He obviously doesn’t want you._

He nodded. “Yeah… maybe that’s it. But hopefully you’ll feel much better when we’re back at the palace and you’re working your magic at the Coronation.” He managed a small smile and held out his hand for a fist bump. “Besties?”

She half-heartedly returned his fist bump. “Besties.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Early in the evening_ …

“It’s such a short flight back to the palace,” Riley said, as their plane touched down on the tarmac.

“Much faster than traveling by limo, that’s for certain,” Bertrand pointed out. “And every second counts today.”

“I can’t believe the Coronation Ball is tonight!” Maxwell shook his head.

“I can. Everything we’ve worked for this season has led up to this.”

Riley stared out the window, sighing as the earlier conversation between her and Maxwell replayed in her head. What was she _really_ doing here? “I’m having second thoughts. This is a lot of pressure to be under…”

“Yes,” Bertrand concurred. “Tonight is no normal ball. It will decide your future… _Our_ futures.”

“Okay, yeah, that _really_ isn’t helping me feel better.”

“That may be so, but this is no time for you to develop insecurities.”

“You wouldn’t have made it this far if you couldn’t do it, Riley…” Maxwell tried to meet her eyes, but she continued to stare blankly out the window.

Bertrand raised his eyebrow as he looked between the two of them for a moment. “Ahem… Lady Riley…”

Her shoulders slumped slightly. “I know, don’t mess up…”

“That’s not what I was going to say…” He waited another moment, and she finally turned to look at him. “Lady Riley, I… have faith in you.”

Riley blinked her eyes a few times, unsure of what she’d just heard. “Huh? Oh! Thank—”

“Ahem, but there’s still ample time for you to disappoint me.”

“That’s more like what I was expecting…”

A few minutes later, the aircraft taxied to its gate, and the three of them walked the tarmac towards the airport. “Now…” Bertrand said, turning his head toward her. “I trust that you’re ready for the Coronation? Have you prepared your gift for the Prince?”

“Gift?”

Bertrand glowered at his brother. “ _Maxwell!_ ”

“Oh, right! The Coronation gift! Er, sorry, Riley…”

Bertrand gave an exasperated sigh. “Every guest traditionally presents the Crown Prince with a gift befitting his station.”

“Don’t worry! I’m sure Riley and I can throw something together real quick…”

“Some houses spend months cultivating rare flowers or crafting elaborate culinary delicacies.”

Riley looked between the two brothers. “…So we should be fine?” Bertrand just stood there, fuming. “…Or… not?”

“Riley, how are you at poetry?” Maxwell pulled out a pen and a few random scraps of paper from his pocket. “Maybe you could present him with a poem in one of those fancy envelope thingies! Now, what rhymes with Aidan…?” As he pondered over various ideas, they eventually walked by a gift shop in the airport concourse. “Look! That shop over there has trinkets from around the world. Maybe there’s something here that would work…”

Bertrand looked horrified. “Really? The airport gift shop?!”

Riley shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt to take a look…” She searched a rack of keychains and found one of the Statue of Liberty. She turned over the little statue in her hands.

“I think I’m onto something here,” Maxwell said, reading over his notes. “‘With teeth so straight and white, his smile was ever bright…’ Oh, what’d ya find, Riley?”

Riley lifted up the keychain for him to see. “I think this could make a good gift for Aidan.”

“Oh yeah! When we went to New York, he kept talking about the Statue of Liberty.”

“It’s a gift shop trinket.” Bertrand frowned. “You think _that_ will impress a Crown Prince?”

“Well… we _were_ making progress on that poem. What do you think, Riley?”

She looked at the keychain again and closed her hand around it. “This is perfect. “Trust me, he’ll understand what it means.”

“Ooooh, an inside advantage. I like it!”

“But there’s no saying we couldn’t add a poem to go with it! I’ll build him a palace one metrical foot at a time.”

“Hit him with the old iambic pentameter.”

“His heart will melt before my dactyls and spondees.”

Bertrand scowled. “If we’re _done_ gift shopping, we have a ball to prepare for…”

“Let’s gooo!” Maxwell cried, leading the way out of the gift shop. They grabbed their luggage from baggage claim and stepped inside the limo. A while later, the limo drove inside the city limits, winding through the streets of the capitol.

“Now, it’s time to get you ready,” Bertrand said. “We’ll be heading to Cordonia’s most upscale boutique. It’s perfect for preparing ladies for their grand arrival. Find something nice, and we’ll pick you up for the ball when you’re ready…”

“Good luck, Riley!” Maxwell held up his hand for a high-five.

Riley stared at it for a moment, then shook her head with a small smile as she gave him a high-five. “For House Beaumont!” they chanted together.

“Yes, yes, now go!” Bertrand said, shooing her out of the limo.

Riley made her way to the special boutique, where she found Hana and Olivia preparing for the ball. “Riley!” Hana smiled in greeting as she searched through the racks.

Olivia gave a condescending grin as she watched her enter the room. “Well, well. Look who dared to show up.”

“Mmm… hello to you too, Olivia.”

“I suppose you’re here to prepare for the ball.”

“Of course.”

“Riley, have you thought about what you’ll wear?” Hana asked.

“Not… exactly.”

“A piece of advice,” Olivia said, pulling a dress off the rack. “You’d better not wear red. That’s _my_ color.”

“And just what makes red _your_ color?”

“You’ll see.”

“I guess I’m going to be wearing red then!” She gave an amused wink towards Hana.

Olivia glared at her. “You wouldn’t _dare_.”

“I just _might_.”

“Let’s just see if you’re still so confident after you see my gown.” Olivia stomped off toward a dressing room, stepping inside to change.

Riley giggled. It was too easy to get under her skin. “I see Olivia is as prickly as ever.”

“I think even _she_ knows Prince Aidan could very well pick you tonight to be his bride.” Hana grinned at her. “How does it feel? Have you thought about it much?”

“I’m excited!” She bit her lip as her doubts started creeping in again. “…I think. It’s been a crazy journey to end up here.”

“It has been,” Hana agreed. “I’m glad I was here to share it with you.”

“Likewise, Hana.”

“He’s going to pick you for sure!”

And that was good, right? Riley forced out a smile for Hana. This is what she’d wanted, ever since she had come to Cordonia. All those times of stealing a moment here and there away would no longer be needed. She and Aidan could be together in public without the worry of a scandal. So why was she not more excited about this?

Olivia walked out of the fitting room with a sharp smack of the door, interrupting Riley’s thoughts. “Feast your eyes on this, ladies!” She donned a long, glittery red dress. “You’re looking at a future queen. Praise me now, and maybe I’ll let you carry my goblets.”

“You look great, Olivia!” Hana said.

“Praise doesn’t mean much coming from a second-tier suitor like you, but thank you all the same.”

A hurt look entered Hana’s face. “Second-tier?”

“You know, I had you as a third-tier at the beginning of the season, so good job working your way up.”

Riley stepped up next to Hana. “Olivia, you look great…”

Olivia smiled smugly. “See? That’s all I wanted. A nice compliment from someone who matters.”

“…but even the most expensive dress won’t hide your childishness.”

Olivia’s jaw dropped as she sputtered back in response. “I do not act like a child!”

“You’re right. I’ve seen toddlers with more composure than you.”

Hana covered her smile behind her hand. “Ha. Okay, I’m going to change into my dress now.” She took her dress into the fitting room.

Olivia sneered at her. “As though what you’ll wear even matters at this point.”

“Olivia, you know we can all be friends…” Riley looked at her disapprovingly. “It feels good not being lonely all the time. If you ever want to start playing nice… we’re here for you.”

Olivia scowled at her. “If anything, _you’re_ the one who needs reminding.”

“Huh?”

“This is a competition, in case you’ve forgotten. It might be fun to buddy up with Hana… but at the end of the day, she’s going to go away heartbroken.” She put on a sympathetic frown. “And have you ever considered that you might be the cause?”

“I…”

“I’m only saying that this competition is hard enough. You should protect yourself, Riley.” Her face softened slightly. “And remember that people around here _never_ play nice.”

Hana returned from the dressing room, wearing a gorgeous silver dress. “Well? What do you think?”

Riley smiled in approval. “You look stellar.”

“And now it’s your turn, Riley,” Olivia said, placing her hand on her hip. “I can’t _wait_ to see what you’ll pick.”

Riley walked into the dressing room to change. She _almost_ wanted to try on the red dress hanging on the wall just to see how Olivia would react, but decided to go ahead with her prime choice—a beautiful white ball gown with an ornate gold flourish design. She walked out of the fitting room moments later. “Your Cinderella has arrived.”

Hana folded her hands against her chest, smiling. “Wow… it’s perfect!”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Just because you think you’re a fairy-tale character doesn’t mean you’re going to get the Prince.”

“We’ll see about that. Now then, shall we?” Riley walked outside with Hana and Olivia. Fancy expensive cars lined the road.

Olivia stopped in front of a sleek white Rolls-Royce and turned to them with a condescending smirk. “Well, girls, this ride is mine. See you at the ball. I can’t _wait_ to see what sort of dilapidated, worn-out prom-night limo Riley arrives in!” She stepped inside her Rolls-Royce, and it pulled out onto the road.

Farther down the line, Riley spotted the Beaumont limo, where she could see Maxwell waving out the window. “Riley! Over here!”

Riley turned to Hana. “Hana, where’s your ride?”

“It should be here soon.” Hana looked down the road anxiously.

“We haven’t got _all_ night,” Bertrand muttered.

“Oh! There it is!” Just down the road, a dreamy, elegant horse-drawn carriage glided into view.

Riley’s eyes widened. It was definitely fairy-tale worthy. “Wow…”

“My parents thought one last display of wealth would be nice for the family name.”

“That… would do it.”

“Oh, I’ve got extra room! You’re welcome to ride with me if you’d like.”

Riley looked at the carriage, then back to Bertrand and Maxwell. “Yes, ride with Lady Hana!” Bertrand immediately responded.

Riley laughed. “I think that’s a yes.” She stepped into the carriage with Hana as Maxwell and Bertrand rode by.

“We’ll see you at the ball, Riley!” Maxwell called out the window.

Their limo took off as the carriage whisked her and Hana to the palace. At the palace, the carriage pulled up inside the gates. Suitors walked the red carpet towards the front door as the press recorded their every gesture.

“Lady Olivia, how does it feel to be referred to as ‘The Scarlet Duchess’?” Donnie Brine asked.

“It feels good. Ever since I was a child, I’ve always said red was my color,” Olivia said, grinning proudly.

“Countess Madeleine, how does it feel to be attending the Coronation Ball as one of the leading suitors?” Ana asked.

Madeleine smiled sweetly. “Words can’t _begin_ to describe the feeling. All I know is that my love for Cordonia will never die.”

From the carriage, Riley’s eyes widened in astonishment, as a crush of reporters swarmed upon the noble ladies arriving at the palace. “It’s busy…” she said to Hana, who nodded silently in agreement.

“This just in…” Donnie said, turning away from Olivia and Madeleine to run towards the arriving carriage. “We’ve just received word that Lady Riley has arrived!”

“Coming to you live, it’s The Mystery Woman herself!” Ana said, running with her camera crew, as she and numerous other reporters abandoned their interviews to rush over to Riley and Hana.

“Wha—” Madeleine’s jaw dropped in shock, as Olivia glowered in the direction of the carriage.

“Lady Riley, you know how to make an entrance,” Ana said. “Can you tell us more about the carriage you rode in?”

“The carriage ride was courtesy of Lady Hana.”

Hana smiled. “It was my pleasure.”

“Friendship blossoming even during competition?” Ana scribbled down some notes. “I _love_ it.”

The reporters snapped pictures of Riley and Hana smiling together. “Now, I apologize, but we must head inside,” Riley said after a few moments. They walked past the reporters towards the palace.

“That was fun,” said Hana.

“I know! I must’ve really made a name for myself.”

As they approached the palace, Hana noticed a man in royal livery motioning to her. “Oh…”

Riley nudged her softly, grinning. “Is that a secret admirer?” She winked.

“Heh.” Hana shook her head. “It’s a messenger. I’ll be right back.” She walked over to the messenger and received the message. Riley noticed Hana’s surprised, almost upset, expression, and she strained to hear the conversation, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. The messenger soon straightened and walked away. Hana contemplatively made her way back over to her.

Riley looked at her questioningly. “What was the news?”

“Oh, it was instructions from my parents on what to do with the carriage after tonight. Nothing major.” Hana didn’t meet her eyes. “Now then, let’s continue on with the night.” Riley looked concerned, but decided not to push her.

They were ushered into the palace where they entered a receiving line to greet the King and Queen. They found yourselves behind Lady Kiara, who was finishing up her conversation with the Queen. “…So of course, the prime minister told me I shouldn’t ever _think_ of eating the chocolates! As if all our trade talks would collapse if I sampled a truffle.”

The Queen laughed, putting a hand to her cheek. “You have the most amusing stories.”

“Merci, Your Majesty.”

As Kiara moved, Riley approached and curtsied before the King and Queen. “Good evening, Your Majesties.”

King Constantine smiled. “Good evening, Lady Riley.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you both again. Thank you for inviting me tonight.”

“We wouldn’t dream of keeping you away,” Queen Regina said. “Though you aren’t as well-established as Lady Madeleine or Lady Olivia, I find your company interesting.”

“Thank you.” _I think…_ She turned to the King who greeted her warmly.

“I must say you’ve been a real fixture at court lately, Lady Riley, and it’s been delightful. I hope your station will become more permanent in the future.”

“Me too, sir.” A server showed her to the dining room, and a short time later, she was seated with all of the other ladies.

Penelope fidgeted with her napkin. “Even though I know he’s not going to choose me, I’m still so nervous…”

“One never knows, ma cherie,” Kiara reassured her. “There’s still a chance.”

“Hah.” Madeleine rolled her eyes. “You’re delusional if you think that.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Olivia echoed.

The servers started the meal, bringing around the first course of crisp, fresh salad topped with crushed walnuts and cranberries. Penelope turns to Riley. “Lady Riley, your dress looks very expensive.”

“Thank you!” Riley looked at her quizzically. “…I think?”

“Yes, you were smart to stay away from _my_ color,” Olivia remarked.

“What can I say? I liked this dress more.”

“Oh, dear Olivia…” Madeleine laughed patronizingly. “…and what would you have done if Riley had worn red? Stamped your foot and thrown a fit in the middle of the ball?”

Olivia sneered at her. “I would’ve thought something. Ugh, I hope tonight is the last time we ever have to interact.”

“You know that’s unlikely. We’ll be summoned back for the engagement tour and the wedding… We’ll all be called upon to show our support for whoever the Prince chooses after all.”

“We will?” Kiara looked up from her salad.

“Of course. I’m sure we can put our petty differences aside to support stability in Cordonia, no matter who the winner is. Even you must appreciate that, Olivia.”

“It’s no matter at all, Lady Madeleine, since he’s going to pick me.” Olivia smiled self-assuredly, as the servers cleared the first course and set out plates of roasted pheasant.

“Oh! What if he doesn’t choose anyone at all?” Penelope piped up. “Wouldn’t that be scandalous?”

“He’ll pick someone. It’s his duty to do so.”

“Says who?” Riley quirked an eyebrow. “Aidan can do whatever he wants. He’s the _Crown Prince_.”

“How charmingly naïve.” Madeleine gave her a derisive look. “He actually _can’t_. Cordonian Kings must be engaged or married at the time of their Coronation. By law, the Prince _must_ pick someone to be his bride tonight.”

“That’s ridiculous. What if he hasn’t found someone?”

“If it were any other year, that would be fine… but the Coronation, in effect, forces the Prince’s hand.”

“Well… I guess that makes some sense. Stability for the monarchy must be a priority.”

“Historically, the last five kings were already married when they ascended, so it wasn’t an issue. Since the Coronation is happening tonight, it’s forcing the Prince’s hand.” Madeleine frowned at her. “Honestly, I can’t believe you might be our ruler if you don’t even understand that concept.”

Riley glared back. “I understand it just fine.”

“Yes, Lady Riley’s done a commendable job of picking up on our customs quickly, given that she wasn’t raised here,” Penelope broke in.

“Thanks, Lady Penelope,” Riley said, smiling.

“I think Lady Riley will handle being queen with grace and poise actually,” Kiara added.

“Aww, Lady Kiara…”

Madeleine glanced around the table, then looked back at Riley. “Hmm, Lady Penelope and Lady Kiara are so quick to defend you… Perhaps I did underestimate you…”

“What can I say? I like to make friends and influence people.” As Riley ate, she suddenly realized that Hana had barely spoken. Her food sat untouched. She quietly nudged her, startling her from her thoughts. “Hana, is everything alright?”

“Huh? Oh…” Hana wiped at her eyes. “…Excuse me…” She stood up and walked out to the staircase. She quickly bowed to the King and Queen and exchanged a few words, and then she ran from the room.

Riley stood up and slipped out of the room, seeing Hana heading up the stairs. “Hana!”

Hana turned. “Riley, what are you doing here?”

“I followed you. Is something the matter? You didn’t eat your dinner… Does this have something to do with that messenger from earlier…”

Hana looked away. “I… it’s not important. You should go back.”

“Come on. You’ve got to be starving. Hey, why don’t we go to your room and order everything on the room service menu and you can tell me all about it?”

“Tonight isn’t about me… It should be about you and Aidan. Go. You deserve to have your moment.”

Riley refused to budge. “Hana… we’re getting room service!”

Hana sighed and reluctantly led the way into her palace quarters. She closed the door behind Riley as she walked in. Riley turned to her, folding her arms. “Alright, what’s the matter?”

Hana looked at her sadly. “I wasn’t enjoying dinner.”

“The other ladies can be a lot to deal with…”

“It’s not that. The pageantry feels so empty and meaningless right now.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s just…” She sighed. “I’m certain Prince Aidan is going to choose you.”

Riley frowned. “Hana, I’m sorry…”

Hana shook her head. “It’s not your fault. It’s how the social season works. I knew it’d be a long shot for me to win his hand, anyway.” She wiped at her eyes again. “I only didn’t expect that I’d feel this way right now.”

Riley placed her hands on her shoulders. “Hana, you know you’re basically perfect, right?”

“You’re the only one that thinks that, Riley…” Hana looked at her, trying to smile. “But somehow when you say it, I can _almost_ believe it.”

“It’s true. You’re amazing,” Riley insisted. “Now I’m sure everything will look better once we’ve got a room service feast at our fingertips.”

“This isn’t a hotel. We don’t have room service.”

“What? We’re ladies of the court. One of us will be the future queen!”

“Well… we do have access to the servant staff in case we need anything.”

“Perfect! Let’s pick up our phones and demand food like dignified ladies.”

“Yeah. I can do that!”

“Make us a feast worthy of two ladies-in-waiting.” She watched as Hana picked up her phone and demanded a banquet brought to her room. After placing her order, she hung up. “That… sounded like a lot of food.”

“You said ‘feast’, so we’re having a feast!” Hana laughed. Before long, one of the waitstaff carted in an array of dishes, then left. “Now _this_ is a meal!”

Riley surveyed the different dishes. “You combined burritos, milkshakes and… cheetah cakes? I was expecting a tea party or some elegantly constructed theme…”

“The theme is ‘Food That Makes Me Happy.’”

“I love it! Let’s dig in!”

“Oh dear, I hope we don’t make a mess…”

“Let’s make a mess. Sometimes life can stand to get a little messy!”

Hana giggled. “Okay!” She gobbled a huge bite from her burrito, slurped her milkshake, and chugged a champagne straight from the bottle. “That’s… actually kind of liberating.”

Riley laughed. “Hey, you’re a natural!”

“Normally, I’d consider this improper, but you’re right… sometimes you need to throw order and etiquette into the wind.”

“Hey, don’t hog all of it!” Riley teased as Hana began devouring one of the cheetah cakes.

Hana swallowed the mouthful of cake she had and then stuck her tongue out at her, much to Riley’s surprised amusement. “Then you’d better grab something before I eat everything!”

“I didn’t think they made burritos this big,” Riley said, picking up a burrito nearly the size of her lower arm.

Hana looked at it with wide eyes. “It looks like it’ll collapse under its own weight.”

Riley bit into the burrito. Pieces of steak, lettuce, and pico sauce fell onto her plate. “Mmmm… I can already feel the food coma.”

Hana bit into her cake. She nonchalantly wiped away the icing from her face. “Remember when we first met?”

“Of course I do. It was here in the palace boutique.”

“Yes, when you walked in on me changing.” Hana burst out laughing. “It feels like that was forever ago.”

“It wasn’t _that_ long. You make it sound like those were ancient times.”

“No… but I’ve changed since I met you. I’ve done thing I never thought I was capable of doing. You helped me make friends where I expected to find only enemies and competitors. I even stood up to my parents, and now, I… I…” Hana looked down at her plate, the smile eroding from her face.

“Is something the matter?”

“The messenger I was talking to before dinner… he was sent by my parents. I’m going home after the Coronation Ball.”

Riley’s jaw dropped. “What?! No! Why?!”

“They’re paying for me to win Prince Aidan’s hand. The competition ends tonight, and I won’t be the winner. So it’s time to pack up and go home.” Tears started to fall from her eyes again.

“That’s not fair!”

“I thought they might let me stay a bit longer at the royal court… but they think I’m getting too headstrong out here. Anyway, this is our last night together. I’ll be leaving in the morning.”

“Hana, your parents can’t do this!”

“Of course they can. They’re rich, they’re powerful, and… they’re my parents. I still care about them, even though I disagree with what they want. I can’t disobey them. Tonight, Prince Aidan will pick you to be his bride. You’ll want to start your life together. You’re going to be _queen_ , Riley! Do you realize what that means? You’ll be far too busy dealing with the matters of the crown to even spare a thought for me.”

“Hana, that’s not true… we’ll always be friends.”

Hana raised the champagne bottle. “To one last celebration.”

Riley grabbed the bottle with Hana. “To us.” Hana took a swig from the bottle before handing it to her. “I’m glad we’ve had a celebration to remember.”

Hana smiled. “Every moment with you is a celebration worth remembering.” She checked the time on her phone, then took the champagne bottle and finished it off. “I’m glad you came up here with me, so we could spend one last night together. But I think it’s time we head back. You’ve got a big moment tonight.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell pulled his phone from his pocket, answering it. “Go for Agent Awesome!”

“Where are you?” Drake’s no-nonsense voice demanded.

“Too easy. I’m at the palace, of course! Ask me a harder one.”

“ _Where_ at the palace?” Even on the phone, it was easy to hear the man’s patience running thin.

“Oooh, now we’re getting specific. I’m at my room. Just don’t ask me what I’m wearing, or I’ll start to worry about you… well, a little more than I already do anyway.” He grinned.

“Shut up, Maxwell. I’m meeting you over there.”

“You can’t. I’m heading out to meet with Bertrand to go over Coronation duties.”

“I’ll find you later then. This isn’t over, Beaumont.” His voice was more angry than usual. Something wasn’t right. Maxwell stared at the phone as Drake’s call disconnected, wondering what he’d missed.


	18. Tic-Tock

** Chapter 18: Tic Tock **

As the ball began, Riley waited in line behind the other suitors while Prince Aidan received his gifts. She and Hana watched in amusement as Penelope stepped up to present her contribution.

“Thank you, Lady Penelope for this… uh…” Aidan turned over the overly extravagant sculpture in his hand, examining it. “…gem-encrusted poodle figurine…”

“I have the matching lady-poodle!” Penelope showed off an equally gaudy figure. “So now you can always think of me when you look at it.”

Aidan smiled politely. “I’m sure I could think of no one else.”

Riley giggled, shaking her head. “Penelope and her poodles…”

“Well, it’s hard to know what one should get for a Crown Prince…” Hana gave her a rueful look. “I had to talk my parents out of sending a full-grown _bull elephant_ as our family’s Coronation gift. I thought that would be far too awkward to bring into the palace.”

“Only slightly…”

“How are you doing?” Hana put a hand on her shoulder. “Do you feel ready to get engaged to the Prince? I mean, if anyone has the greatest claim on Prince Aidan’s heart, it’s you, Riley.”

Riley looked ahead at Aidan, smiling warmly. “I’m ready _if_ he asks me.” She looked over at Hana. “But honestly, tonight I’m looking forward to partying with my friends.”

“That’s right. Tonight doesn’t have to be all about this competition. Let’s enjoy ourselves!”

“Exactly!”

Madeleine stepped up to greet Prince Aidan as Penelope moved away. “Prince Aidan, congratulations on this most momentous day.”

Aidan nodded courteously to her. “Thank you, Lady Madeleine.”

“Please, accept this small and humble token of my house’s admiration.” She handed him a small, velvet box.

Aidan opened it. “Diamond cufflinks,” he observed. “An elegant and sophisticated gift befitting your house.”

“I hope you wear them in good health.”

“You’re too generous, Lady Madeleine.”

“Nonsense, Aidan. You deserve all this and more. Much more.”

“As always, Lady Madeleine, you’re far too kind.”

As Riley and Hana looked on, Riley felt a firm tap on her shoulder. She turned to find a seething Olivia standing behind her, as she leaned in to whisper in a harsh tone. “ _I_ know _it was you!_ ”

Riley stared at her in confusion. “ _Huh?_ ”

“ _That stupid note. I’m sure you were behind it. But don’t think I can be intimidated so easily._ ”

“ _Olivia…_ ” Riley side-glanced her, rolling her eyes. “ _If I_ wanted _to intimidate you, I’d do it in person._ ”

“ _Hah!_ ” Olivia sneered at her. “ _You’re about as intimidating as a dormouse, and about as well-mannered too._ ”

Riley glared at her. “ _If you have time to pick fights, you should focus on your relationship with the Prince instead._ ”

Olivia huffed, turning her back on her. “ _You’re right… for once._ ”

“ _Olivia…_ ” Riley sighed, not wanting to get into a fight over this. “ _Seriously… I never sent anything._ ”

“ _Play dumb all you want. It won’t help you win._ ”

“ _Honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about._ ”

“ _Riley, I…_ ” Olivia turned, her face actually softening. “ _I… I actually believe you…_ ”

“ _What’s going on? You can tell me._ ”

The scowling expression returned. “ _Just forget about it. I can handle it on my own._ ” Olivia stepped in front of her just as Madeleine curtsied and moved forward. With one last look over her shoulder, Olivia approached Aidan. “Prince Aidan! How lovely to see you here.” She held out her hand, and he kissed the back of it.

“Lady Olivia, it’s always a pleasure.”

“I hope you enjoy the gift I’ve selected for your Coronation.” Olivia handed Aidan an ornate golden box.

He opened the lid. “A cactus?” He actually smiled the first genuine smile all night. “Olivia…”

Olivia obviously didn’t notice. “You probably don’t remember, but a long time ago when we were children, someone teased me and said I was as prickly as a cactus. And you said that you loved cactuses because they were tough and no one messed with them.”

“I remember. Of course I remember.”

“I wanted to give you this to thank you for always looking out for me. Congratulations on your Coronation, Aidan. You’re going to be the best king that Cordonia has ever seen.”

“I wouldn’t say that in front of my father.”

“Heh. Of course not.”

“Thank you, Lady Olivia. I’ll treasure this cactus always.”

“You honor me, Your Highness.” Olivia leaned forward and kissed Aidan on the cheek before moving off.

As she left, Riley stepped forward, prompting another smile from Aidan. “Lady Riley.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it tenderly as he stared into her eyes.

“Greetings, Your Highness. I also have a gift for you.”

“Lady Riley, your presence is more than gift enough.” He stared at her adoringly. “But I can’t wait to see what you’ll give me.” He looked quizzically as she handed him a rolled piece of parchment held together by a small keychain. **“** What’s this?” he asked, unfolding the paper and looking at the words.

“A poem.”

“ _Prince Aidan came and swept me away, took me to Cordonia where I hope to stay. With teeth so straight and white, his smile was ever so bright…_ ”

“Maxwell helped me with some of it…”

“ _With laughter and hope, he’s more than a trope. His caring spirit captured my heart, and so I hope we never part._ ” As he finished, he looked down at her, smiling.

“Do you… like it?” she asked nervously.

“I _love_ it. You’re amazing, Riley. You always know how to make me smile.”

She smiled back, relieved. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Immensely. I never knew you had so many talents.”

“I guess there’s still more for you to learn about me.”

“I look forward to learning _everything_.” He glanced down at the keychain that had been holding the poem together, and his eyes widened as he realized it was a tiny Statue of Liberty model. **“** How did you get ahold of this?”

“I have my ways…”

“I think I’ve learned never to doubt what you’re capable of.” He turned the keychain over in his hand, admiring it. “It’s… perfect. How do you always do this to me, Riley? You always surprise me and leave me speechless.”

“Well, I know how much the Statue of Liberty means to you…”

Aidan looked at her, smiling happily. “You know me better than anyone else here tonight, Riley. You know that, don’t you?”

“Even better than Drake?”

“Well, maybe that one would be a close tie.” Aidan placed the keychain in his breast pocket. “I’ll keep it close to my heart.”

“Do you think we’ll ever make it back to New York together?”

“I would like nothing better.” Aidan looked past her for a moment at the royal court assembled in the room. “Riley… after tonight… everything is going to change.”

“For the better, I hope?”

“I hope so too. And now, I regretfully had better attend to the next lady in line. But thank you, Lady Riley.” Aidan bowed as she curtsied. Looking back at him one last time, she moved forward in the procession.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Maxwell?”

He looked up from his spot on the grand staircase to see Hana taking a seat next to him. “Hey, Hana.”

“Big night, yes?”

“Yep.”

Silence.

“…So, Aidan’s going to propose tonight.” Hana looked at him.

He fidgeted with his friendship bracelet, not meeting her eyes. “Yeah, I’m… really happy for them.”

She watched him fiddle with the bracelet for a moment, then glanced back up at him. “You know… we’re at the end of everything here. Did you ever think of saying something? Like how you feel?”

He shook his head. “It won’t matter. She’s in love with Aidan.”

“Oh. So… she’s told you _her_ feelings then?”

“She didn’t need to. Anyone could see it.” He steadied his hands and stared ahead. “Besides, compared to Aidan, I’m not much of anything. I’m just the court jester, if you remember. What woman goes for that?”

She looked sympathetically at him. “Well, Maxwell, I’m not sure personally what she may think of this _court jester_ you speak of, but I am sure of one thing… Until you tell her what’s in your heart, she’ll never have the opportunity to make that decision. What other choice does she have _besides_ Aidan if no one else is there to fight for her?”

He met her gaze, saying nothing, but she could almost see the wheels turning inside his head as he mulled over her words.

“Ahem, Maxwell. Lady Lee.” The two of them looked up to see Bertrand standing nearby. “Lady Lee, if I might have a private word with Maxwell…”

“Of course, Duke Bertrand…” She put a comforting hand on Maxwell’s shoulder. “ _Tic tock, Maxwell… don’t keep her waiting_ ,” she whispered as she stood up, taking her leave.

Maxwell stood, facing his brother. “Bertrand.”

“Not here. Let us speak in our quarters.” Bertrand led the way to their room, turning to him only once the door had been shut behind them. “Now then, Maxwell… I suppose I should say this wasn’t a complete disaster after all.”

Maxwell eyed him warily. “Okay…”

“I just couldn’t _believe_ you never consulted me before you brought over a waitress… _a waitress_ … from New York to be our suitor! It had to be one of the most ridiculous, half-cocked, nonsensical, foolish, reckless…”

“Uh huh…”

“And having to deal with that New York insolence of hers, her appalling fork etiquette, the courtly rumors of your dalliance…”

“I _get_ it…” He narrowed his eyes on him, annoyed.

“Yes. Well. After all of that, she astoundingly turned out to be one of top ladies in court… _and_ Prince Aidan’s number one choice.” He took a deep breath, as if the next words were particularly difficult to express. “I suppose I just wanted to say… you chose well, brother.”

Maxwell stared at him in stunned silence.

“The reputation of House Beaumont may very well be reestablished to its former glory sooner than we think if all goes well tonight,” Bertrand continued. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Maxwell felt his heart soar for a brief moment, watching his brother bask in a rare instance of happiness. To know he had helped him made everything worthwhile, even if he himself didn’t get what he wanted in the end. He nodded to him politely, offering a slight smile. “I’m just glad I was able to help. It’s good to see you smiling again, brother.”

“Come now, Maxwell.” Bertrand beckoned him forward. “Let us get back down to the ballroom and enjoy the rest of the night.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A short time later, the doors to the grand ballroom of the palace were thrown open, and Riley made her entrance. “Here we go…” She smiled at Hana who joined her side.

“You look so beautiful, Riley… The Prince won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”

“Hah!” Olivia walked up to them. “He might like the way she looks, but when it comes to choosing his future queen, he knows who’ll be able to handle ruling at his side.”

Riley smirked at her. “Olivia… I think my first act as queen will be banishing you!”

Olivia’s jaw dropped. “You can’t do that!”

“Consider yourself lucky… In the old days, it would’ve been an execution.” Olivia just rolled her eyes in response. Riley giggled. “Olivia… may the best woman win.”

“I’m sure I will,” Olivia said with a smug grin.

Just then, the trumpets sounded, and the herald announced the Prince’s arrival. “He’s headed this way…” Hana said to Riley in a hushed tone.

“Riley…” Aidan held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

“I’d love to.” She placed her hand in his.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” He took her hand and whisked her out onto the dance floor of the grand ballroom. As the orchestra played, he led her in a waltz around the room, her gown swirling as she glided through the steps. “You’ve been practicing,” he observed.

“We’ve had so many balls, it’d be strange if I hadn’t learned anything by now.”

“Of course. I forget how long the social season is.”

“And to think, a few months ago, I didn’t even know the first steps to a waltz.”

“And now, no one would ever know that you weren’t born into this life.” A saddened expression entered his eyes. “I hope you never have cause to regret coming here.”

She looked at him questioningly. “Why would you say that?”

“Well, so much has happened, and…” As the song winded down, Prince Aidan’s hands lingered on her waist, his eyes searching hers. “I need to talk to you.”

“Is something wrong?”

“ _Ahem!_ ” Both of them glanced over to see Olivia standing next to them, grinning arrogantly. “Prince Aidan, may I be so bold as to cut in?”

“Oh…” Aidan stammered, caught off guard. “…Of course.”

Riley looked at him. “We’ll… talk later?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

As Olivia and Aidan coasted away, Riley found her way off the dance floor and spotted a familiar face. “Riley.”

“Drake.” She looked at him in surprise, noting he was actually wearing a suit for once. How un-Drake-like! “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”

“Aidan insisted.” He shrugged. “I guess I should congratulate you.”

“Oh?”

“You look exactly like one of them. I guess you _are_ one of them, now.” He frowned sadly. “This time tomorrow, you might be the future queen. And then our lives are going to go in very different directions.”

“Drake, whether I’m chosen to be Aidan’s bride or not, I’ll still be _me_. I’m not going to magically change into Neville… or worse…” She winked. “… _Madeleine_.”

He shook his head. “Looking at you now… it’s hard to believe that. This place has a way of changing people… and some of us liked the girl you used to be. You know that, right?”

“Drake, I promise, I’m still the same Riley. If I get too cocky, just remind me that the first time we met, I was taking out the garbage and waiting tables.”

“Feels like so long ago, now. Can’t believe it’s only been a few months.”

“Yeah, but after everything that’s happened, it feels more like once upon a time…”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Spare me, Mason. Fairy tales are for kids.”

“I suppose you’re right. Life here isn’t all sparkles and fairy godmothers.”

“I’m glad you’re seeing it for what it is.”

“It’s nice to get a chance to talk to you tonight.”

Drake stared at her thoughtfully for a moment. “Riley, I…” He paused, trying to find the right words.

“What is it?”

“There’s something that I—”

“There you guys are!” Hana waved to them as she walked over with Maxwell.

“Whoa, Drake dressed up!” Maxwell exclaimed.

Drake scowled at him and turned to leave. “I’m outta here.”

Maxwell blinked in confusion and walked over to catch up with him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Drake, seriously, what the hell is going on?”

He shoved his hand off. “Later,” he growled, disappearing from the room.

“…Is everything okay?” Riley’s voice asked behind him as Maxwell stood there, stunned.

He turned to look at her. “I… I don’t know what got into him. I’m still trying to figure out what stupid thing I’ve apparently done to piss him off.”

Hana looked between the two of them. “I’ll go find him…” She took off in the direction that Drake disappeared to.

Just then, a new waltz began, and couples paired up, heading for the dance floor. Riley could see Madeleine whisking Aidan off for the set. She looked at Maxwell, holding her hand out to him. “We’ll handle Drake later. In the meantime… shall we?”

He stared at her in surprise. “You want to dance with _me_?”

“Aren’t you usually my partner?”

“Yeah, I just thought… well, never mind. Let’s go!” Maxwell took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Drake!”

He turned to see Hana running to catch up with him. He slowed down his walk to give her enough time to catch up. “Hana.” He took a sip of his whiskey.

“Is everything okay?”

“Couldn’t be better. No fussy nobles to deal with out here, and of course…” He lifted his glass of whiskey to her. “…good drinks.” He sat down along the garden wall, looking up at her. “So… shouldn’t you be in there mingling with everyone else?”

“I had something more important to take care of, I guess.” Hana sat down next to him, meeting his eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Me?” He chuckled and shook his head. “Trust me, I’m not that important, Hana. You’re wasting your time.”

“I don’t know what you mean. You’re very important to me, Drake. Just like Riley, and Maxwell, and Aidan… _all_ of you are my friends.” She frowned. “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so angry with Maxwell?”

He shook his head again. “Nope. Not talking about it.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“Pretty bad.” He looked over at her. “But I don’t have all the facts yet. Even so, I get angry thinking about what I’m pretty sure is the truth.” He averted his gaze from her, his eyes glaring angrily toward the ground as he took another sip of whiskey.

She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Maybe you could talk a _little_ about it… I mean, whatever it is, it’s getting to you, and you’re lashing out.”

He exhaled loudly, staring at his whiskey before looking back at her. “This stays between us, right?”

“Of course.”

“I talked to Aidan.” He rotated the glass around in his hands. “He said he saw Maxwell early this morning…”

“We all did, remember? That Truth or Dare game lasted a while.”

“You know what? You’re right. Mystery solved.” He took another sip, staying quiet.

She narrowed her eyes on him. “Very funny. Keep going, Drake.”

He side-glanced her. “You and Mason are the worst, you know that?” He nudged her shoulder. “Fine.” His gaze fell back on the ground. “Aidan saw Maxwell leaving Riley’s room at nearly three in the morning… well past when we had finished that game, Hana.”

Hana was silent for a moment. “Well… I know they like to sit up and talk at night…” She trailed off as she saw the anger build up again in his eyes.

“I didn’t tell Aidan what I knew. I just listened.” He looked back up at her. “But what I do know is that Maxwell looked just fine when he and Riley left us. When Aidan found him, he said he looked completely disheveled—clothes all rumpled, hair messed up, couldn’t talk straight at first. What’s sick is Aidan didn’t even _suspect_ what I know you and I are thinking right now.”

“Wow.” Hana’s eyes were wide, and she looked down at her hands. “I’m sure it’s possible that they might have taken their friendship to the next level, yes?”

“That’s what you don’t get, Hana.” He sighed. “Maxwell is not that type of person. He’s been waiting for this opportunity for months. _That’s_ why I’m mad. He knew very well how close she was to him, and he took advantage of it. He’s hurting her, _and_ he’s hurting Aidan.”

“But that…” Hana stopped herself, knowing she couldn’t say much without betraying Maxwell’s confidence. “…that doesn’t sound like Maxwell. I don’t think he would hurt them like that, Drake.”

“You don’t know him like I do, Hana.” He downed the remainder of his drink, setting the glass down.

“And you don’t think that he’s changed? Even for Riley?”

He stared at his empty glass, taking in her words. “I don’t know.”

She frowned. “At least give him the benefit of the doubt and talk to him about this.”

“Maybe.” He stood up, extending a hand to her to help her up. “Let’s go inside.”

As they walked inside, many couples were still on the ballroom dance floor, dancing to a rhythmic waltz. Hana looked at Drake, smiling as she held out her hand to him. “Drake, may I have this dance?”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Me?” He laughed wryly. “Now what would your noble friends think, seeing you dance with a lowly commoner?”

“Well, firstly, those _nobles_ aren’t friends. They are potential political alliances. And secondly, I don’t care what they think if I’m dancing with my _friend_ , who is anything _but_ common. A bit grumpier than most of us would prefer, but I suppose it works for you.” She laughed, grabbing his hand. “Now come on.”

“But I don’t know how to waltz,” he protested.

“Then you can follow my lead,” she said, pulling him onto the dance floor.

Drake frowned as he tried to get himself in the correct position. “Is this right?”

“It’s perfect. You’re doing great. Just relax.”

Drake willed his body to relax as he held her in his arms. “I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that you’re really good at this…”

“I’m good at this?” Hana laughed. “Why thank you, Drake. How kind of you to say.”

“You’re most welcome.” He smirked. “See? I can be a gentleman from time to time.”

“Only when it suits you, I see.”

“Pretty much.” He glanced out on the dance floor, noticing Riley and Maxwell dancing close to one another. They were talking. It appeared she was trying to get his attention, but he was avoiding her eyes. _Great. I knew this would happen…_

“They’ll be fine, Drake.” Hana lifted a hand and made him face her. She gave him a stern look. “You can talk with him when you get that next free moment, okay?”

“Fine…” He sighed, frustrated.

“You should twirl me now.”

“Huh?” He looked at her in confusion.

“Twirl me! Just lift your arm, and I’ll do the rest.”

Drake raised her arm, and she glided under it, elegantly spinning. “That was…”

“Why Drake, you look impressed.” Hana smiled.

Drake shook his head, smiling as the two of them continued dancing across the floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As they twirled around on the ballroom floor, Maxwell had a thoughtful look on his face. “Wow… can you believe it’s already the end of the social season?”

“Yeah…” Riley stared into his eyes. “I wish we had more time together, Maxwell…”

“Heh.” He tore his eyes away from her gaze, focusing on their steps. “Most people prefer me in small doses…”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You’re funny, sweet, and kind. You’ve been nothing but nice to me since I got here.”

“At least you didn’t have Bertrand breathing down your neck all season… well, okay, you _did_ … but not the way he did me.” He spoke in his best Bertrand voice. “ _You’ve endangered our house’s very reputation. You forgot the color of the tents! You didn’t teach her to dance!_ ” He smiled and shook his head, still not meeting her eyes. “Sometimes I think it’s amazing you’ve even survived this season with me as your guide…”

“Maxwell… I wouldn’t want anyone else! You’ve done the most important thing… you’ve encouraged me when all Bertrand did was doubt me! Remember, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even be here!” She squeezed his hand affectionately.

“Aw, I guess so… but you did it all yourself, Riley. I might’ve gotten you in the door, but you earned your place here all on your own,” he insisted.

“I still couldn’t have done it all without you, Maxwell…” She tilted her head to meet his eyes. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I… well, Maxwell, I—”

“It was no problem, Riley. Really.” He forced a smile as the music began to slow. “What are besties for?”

… _love you…_ Her eyes lowered slightly. “Yeah. What are besties for?” She forced a smile as well, just as the waltz ended and the two of them parted.

Maxwell bowed politely to her. “Lady Riley. It was my pleasure.”

“Maxwell, I _always_ enjoy the time we spend together…” He finally met her gaze, and the two of them looked at each other for a moment. Then he offered her a small smile and started walking away. She sighed softly as she followed several steps behind him. She didn’t know why she continued to try, especially when she’d already told herself he was not interested. It was probably that stubborn part of her that refused to let go. Even as Maxwell constantly insisted that the two of them were simply best friends, or ‘besties,’ which seemed to be the favored term as of late. As she came back from the dance floor and met up with the rest of her friends, she could smell something delicious as servants brought out trays of food. “Mmm!” She looked at her friends. “Ready to hit the hors d’oeuvres table?”

“I’d love to,” said Hana, who walked up with Drake at her side.

“Great, more fancy finger food,” he muttered.

“Oh, it’ll be fun! Come on!” She dragged Drake along towards the hors d’oeuvres table.

Maxwell, wanting to avoid another bizarre confrontation with Drake, stood next to Riley on the other end of the table. “Man, these look fancy! Think these’ll stack up to the appetizers we made?” he asked her.

“Only one way to find out.” She selected something that looked like chicken inside of a cup.

“Oh, the marinated chicken skewer,” Hana observed. “Excellent choice.”

Riley took a bite. “Okay, it’s delicious…”

“But nothing compared to our caviar and paprika creation!” Maxwell bragged.

“You guys still haven’t really explained why you were the ones making the appetizers that day…” Hana said, looking at all of them.

“Well…” Riley bit into her chicken skewer thoughtfully. “House Beaumont personally ensures quality.”

“Oh, a very hands-on approach to everything? They say that all the best restaurants are run that way.”

“That’s us… practically a Michelin-star restaurant…” Drake joked.

“Well, one can’t argue with the results!”

“Yeah, and there’s no one I trust more than Riley and Drake when it comes to… basically anything.” Maxwell looked over at Drake cautiously.

“Heh. Thanks, Maxwell,” Riley laughed.

Drake glanced at him, but said nothing. Hana elbowed him, and he rolled his eyes. “Sure… thanks… _buddy_.”

“Actually, Hana…” Riley said, finishing up her appetizer. “We’re broke.”

“Riley!” Maxwell looked at her in horror. “Bertrand’s going to _kill_ us.”

“I think you mean Bertrand’s going to kill _you_ ,” Drake broke in. “He still _needs_ Riley.”

“Very funny.”

“Come on, this is Hana we’re talking to.” Riley rolled her eyes. “We can trust her with the truth.”

“I’d be the last person to judge you anyway. My parents have more money than they know what to do with, but that hasn’t brought them any glory or happiness. In fact, I think it’s made them push me even harder.” Hana set down her empty appetizer plate and faced the three of them with a sad expression. “Anyway, it hardly matters what secrets you tell me. Lady Riley already knows this, but… tonight’s my last night at court. My parents have officially called me home. I must depart tomorrow morning.”

“That sucks!” Maxwell frowned.

Drake put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m really sorry to see you go, Hana.”

“Thanks, Drake.”

“But hey… if this is your last night here, then you’ve got nothing left to lose!” Maxwell piped up.

“Except my dignity.”

“Dignity is overrated.”

“Maxwell…”

“I’m just saying… you know how people are always saying ‘party like there’s no tomorrow’? Well, for you, there really is no tomorrow. So we should really paaaaaarty!”

Hana looked at him, unsure. “I don’t know…”

“Come on…” Maxwell prodded. “There must be a few things that you’ve been dying to do since you came here.”

“Well…” Hana said thoughtfully. “There _are_ a few things I never checked off my list… but I don’t know…”

“It’ll be fun for all of us…” Riley said.

“Well… okay! What should we do first?”

“Tonight should be about what _you_ want to do. Let’s make some memories!”

“It’d be nice to have a special moment with each of you.” Hana turned to Drake. “Drake, my last moment with you should definitely involve whiskey.”

A grin broke out over Drake’s face. “Now I like where this is going. What did you have in mind?”

“I want to have a shot of whiskey with you.”

“I’m sold.”

“But not the bar’s whiskey. _Your_ whiskey.”

“You heard her!” Riley folded her arms, smirking at him.

“You want me to share my ‘ _break in case of emergency_ ’ whiskey?” Drake stared at the two of them. “I’m not sure Hana can handle it.”

“Hey, she’s tougher than she looks!”

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this…”

“Drake…” Hana smiled.

“Come on… it’s her last day.” Riley nudged him.

Drake narrowed his eyes down at her. “You’re going to play that card all night, aren’t you?”

“Yep!”

“Who’s to say I even have whiskey on me? This is a formal event.”

Riley gave him an unyielding stare. “ _Drake_ …”

“Okay, okay!” He produced a flask from his blazer and poured out two shot glasses.

“Wait… none for the rest of us?” Riley quirked an eyebrow.

Drake glared at her. “This is why I never wanted friends.” He poured a shot for her and Maxwell as well. He turned to Hana, handing her a shot glass and lifting his to her. “Here. To you, Hana.”

Together, they downed their shots of whiskey. “That’s strong!” Hana exclaimed.

“Of course. It’s my personal stash. You think I’d get the weak stuff?”

Hana coughed. “You know, Drake, you’re far nicer than you let on. I’m going to miss you.”

“Hell, I’ll miss you too. You’re nothing like the other nobles.”

“Thanks, Drake. That means a lot.”

“Okay, that’s about all the sentimentality I can handle for one night. Good luck, Hana.”

“You too, Drake.” She smiled as Drake waved and headed off, then looked at her remaining two friends. “Maxwell. While we still have you, I’ve got a request.”

“Just name it.”

“We’ve never had a chance to have a dance-off.”

“A dance-off?” He put his hands over his heart. “You? Me? Dancing in a competitive fashion?”

“Yes, I believe those are all the required components.”

“I mean, _I_ know that, but how did _you_ know that?”

“The television in my room had a number of movies on demand, many of which featured dance battles. I’ve been making a study of it.”

He laughed. “Of course.”

“Anyway, I want to challenge you. So… do you accept?”

“You have _no_ idea how happy I am right now.” Maxwell cleared out space on the dance floor. “This will be our battlefield. Alright, Riley, announce me in!”

“Introducing Maxwell, The Unexpected Heartthrob! He’ll steal your heart if you aren’t careful.”

Maxwell froze for a split second at her words, then shook it off as he headed for the floor. “Let’s do this!” He broke into a series of spins on his hands. Rotating his body with perfect control, he threw his body into a slide, ending at Hana’s feet. “The floor is yours.”

“Introducing Hana, The Master of All Trades!” Riley called out. “Just when you thought you were the best at something, Hana comes along.”

Hana pirouetted into a perfect arabesque, then performed a ballet sequence inter-spliced with a myriad of modified dance styles. Maxwell looked on in amazement. “Whoa… I’ve never seen that done before.”

Hana smiled proudly. “After watching you, I thought I could mix up what I can do into my own set.”

Maxwell high-fived her. “That was great! But there can only be one winner… Riley?”

“And the winner is… Maxwell!”

“And the champ reigns supreme!” He fell to his knees, pumping his arms in the air.

“But it was a tough call. I almost called a tie. You’re both amazing!”

“I’m the best! I’m the best!” he chanted, waving his arms around.

Riley glared at him. “Maxwell!”

“I mean—Hana, you put up a spectacular fight. If you were staying, we could form our own dancing duo. We’d kill at parties.”

Hana laughed. “I’ll develop my technique, and we’ll have more dance-offs in the future.”

“That’d be _amazing_.”

Hana hugged Maxwell. “Now, I need to say one last goodbye… and I just need Lady Riley to come and witness it. But I’ll find you at the announcement?”

“Yeah! We’ll work in some celebratory dancing.”

“I’ll hold you to it!” She took a deep breath. “Okay… one more thing to do.”

Riley looked at her curiously. “Now I _really_ want to know what we’re doing…”

“Something I should’ve done from day one.” Hana weaved through dancing couples and found Olivia.

Olivia looked at the two of them, quirking an eyebrow. “Ladies Riley and Hana. I’m surprised you both _dared_ to come speak with me…”

Hana glowered at her. “Olivia, I’ve been nothing but nice to you since we met, and all you’ve done is say mean, cruel things to me. And you know what? It really hurts to be treated like that.”

“Aww, Lady Hana, isn’t this interesting?” Olivia said patronizingly. “Did Riley tell you to say that? I _know_ you’re not bold enough to come up with it on your own.”

“This is _my_ opinion. You know, I don’t know why you think you have to be so vicious, but you don’t. And I’m not here to scream at you or hurl insults. I just had to tell you how you’ve made me feel.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Ugh, honestly, I think you—”

“Good night, Lady Olivia. It turns out I don’t care what you think. Come on, Lady Riley, I think the desserts table has just been opened.”

“But I—”

Riley and Hana turned and walked away, leaving Olivia gaping. “Good riddance,” Hana said.

“I didn’t know you disliked her so much…”

“I grew up around girls like her. Privileged, entitled, and deluded by their own ambitions. Saying that to her was kind of like telling off every pampered brat I’ve known. It felt as amazing as I had hoped.” They walked over to the desserts table when Hana grabbed a plate and started loading it with mini petit fours.

“Are you really still hungry?”

“I won’t be able to indulge like this again for some time. I might as well take the opportunity. The caramel apple tarts look great! I’ll help myself if you don’t…” Together, they gathered a plateful of cakes, tarts, and other sweet delicacies. “How much is too much, do you think?”

Riley examined her own heaping tower of treats with a critical eye. “I don’t know, but this looks pretty good… Better see if we can get away with it…” They absconded with their desserts, laughing as they found a private bench in the hallway to enjoy them. “Yuuuummm…”

“Mmmmmmmm…” Hana closed her eyes in sweet delight. Afterwards, they both sat back, content. “That was perfect. I’m glad we did that.”

“Me too.”

“Of course… I suppose that means we’re running out of time tonight, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, we are.” Riley looked at her sadly.

“Riley, if this was your last night and you could do anything, what would you do?”

“Maybe I’d sneak into the Prince’s bedroom.” She winked.

“Oh… scandalous.” Hana giggled. “Can’t say I blame you though. Tonight is a night for scandalous things.”

“Honestly though… I’d spend time with my friends. Like what you did.”

“Yeah…” She smiled. “I guess I spent my last day well.” Hana rested her empty plate on the bench. “We should get you back. You really should be seen in the ballroom socializing before the Coronation truly starts…”

Riley sighed, staring back towards the ballroom. “I suppose so…”

Hana looked at her thoughtfully. “This _is_ what you want, right?”

Riley looked back at her. “Of course. What else could I want?”

She searched her friend’s eyes, knowing there was a lot she was not saying. “…I don’t know.” She placed a hand on her arm. “But I did want to thank you for tonight, for everything… Our time these past few months really meant a lot.”

“Hana…”

“Alright, that’s all… come on!” The two of them made their way into the ballroom, and Hana looked back at Riley. “And now… I suppose I should let Prince Aidan know that I’ll be leaving.” She hugged her. “But I’ll see you later tonight, my dear.”

As Riley and Hana separated, Kiara and Penelope approached her. “Lady Riley, we want to congratulate you on coming this far,” Kiara said.

“It was no small feat,” Penelope agreed.

“Oh, thank you.”

“I hope you’ve enjoyed the ball so far.”

“I’ve waited so long for this day.”

“As we all have,” Kiara said.

“Though you must be the most excited, Riley. Prince Aidan might choose you!” Penelope said, actually sounding excited for her.

“It’s exciting, to say the least. To think that my future could wildly change in an instant…”

Kiara nodded. “If only we were as fortunate.”

“I’m sure something good will come your way. What are you doing next?”

“Once the wedding is over, I’ll split my time between court and my family’s estate. It’ll be nice to finally see my poodles again.” Penelope put her hand over her heart.

Riley shook her head, smiling. “Penelope, you’re _way_ too into poodles.”

Penelope laughed. “People tell me that a lot… you, Kiara, my family… but I don’t want to change who I am. I love my poodles!”

“Curious though… do you have any interests _other_ than poodles?”

“Well…” A contemplative look crossed her face. “…I like grooming…”

“Grooming… what?”

A sheepish smile formed on Penelope’s face. “…Poodles.”

Riley laughed. “Well, Penelope, I bet your poodles are extra cute and fluffy.”

“They are! Poodles are the best. I mean, I respect the other breeds, but I connect with poodles on an emotional level.”

“It’s great that you’ll see them again.”

“Oh, I know. I bet they’ve missed me.”

“And what about you, Kiara?” Riley looked at her.

“Once the wedding is over, I’ll stay at court for a little while before searching for a position with the foreign ministry.”

“Kiara, how many languages do you actually speak? I’ve only ever heard English and French.”

“Those are the _dominant_ regional languages,” Kiara said matter-of-factly.

“But… I want to hear you speak another language.”

“Guten tag, mi amiga. Sei felice?”

Riley stared at her, puzzled. “…I think so?”

Kiara smiled. “Good.”

“I’m sure you’ll make a great translator somewhere in the field!”

“I’d like to think so. It’ll be nice working with foreign communities and doing some good in the world.”

“I’m sure you could move mountains if you set your mind to it.”

“Thank you. I suppose we’ll see.”

“We should visit some of the other ladies before the Coronation ceremony begins…” Penelope said.

Kiara waved. “It was nice talking with you, Lady Riley.”

“Good luck tonight,” Penelope said, walking away with her.

“Thanks.” Riley looked around the room, searching for her friends. She spotted Drake heading out the door alone. _I wonder what Drake was trying to say earlier. This could be my only opportunity to talk to him alone and find out…_ She headed in his direction, eventually finding him sitting alone at a deserted bar station. “Hey… can we talk?”

Drake sighed and gestured to the empty seat next to him. “Go ahead. You know I’m always willing to talk to you.” He looked back at the empty bar. “What’s a guy gotta do to get a drink around here.”

Riley grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. “Well, lucky for _you_ , in addition to being a waitress, I took a turn or two at the bar whenever the occasion called for it.” She slid behind the bar and picked up a cocktail shaker.

“You’re gonna make me a drink?”

“The best you’ve ever had. Now, let’s get started. First, we need something… sweet. Peach liqueur. You could use something to sweeten you up.”

Drake raised an eyebrow. “This is going to be interesting.”

“Next, something down-to-earth. Orange juice.”

“Alright…”

“And then we top it off with… a double shot of whiskey.”

“Now you’re talking.” He smiled. “You know, you could’ve just poured me whiskey on the rocks, and I would’ve been a happy man.”

“And where would the fun be in that? Now, are you ready for the final result?”

“Never been more ready.”

She handed him his drink, and he slowly took a sip. Riley waited. “Well?”

He raised his glass to her, nodding in approval. “I could get used to this…” He watched as she poured herself the same drink and sat down next to him. “Done playing bartender?”

“It’s a thankless job.” She sipped her drink, giving him a sarcastic grin. “Last customer didn’t even leave a tip, dontcha know!”

Drake returned her sarcastic smile. “Sorry. Must’ve left my wallet in my other fancy jacket.”

“Speaking of which…” She reached over, tugging at his collar. “I didn’t know you owned a suit.”

He pulled back, batting her hand away. “I’m not a _complete_ oaf.”

“No, not a _complete_ one…” Riley giggled, taking a sip of her drink. “You clean up good, Drake.”

“Thanks.” He rolled his eyes, taking a sip as well. “Anyway, I’m glad we were able to have a few minutes out here together. Thanks for the drink, Mason.”

“Hey, you’re always calling me by my last name… and I don’t even know yours.”

He scoffed at her. “And you consider us to be _friends_.”

“I do. So tell me.”

“What is it with you and prying into my life? Can’t you let a man keep a few walls up?”

“I think we’re a little bit beyond these games by now. Come on, tell me.”

Drake sighed. “If you must know… it’s Walker.”

“Walker, huh? Was that so hard to tell me?”

“I don’t have many secrets left from you, and I’m not used to opening up for people, okay? So maybe every little bit feels like a stretch.”

“I guess I’d better start calling you Walker.”

“Oh, no…”

“What’s wrong, Walker? Turnabout’s fair play!”

“Calling you by your last name is _my_ thing.”

“Too bad, Walker.”

“Fine, I guess I can start calling you Riley.”

Riley cringed, shaking her head. “It just sounds weird now to hear you say that!”

“See?”

“Okay, okay. Drake it is.” She watched as Drake took a long sip of his drink. “I wanted to ask… it seemed like you were about to say something earlier?”

“I was going to say that I was wrong. No matter what happens tonight… Crown or no crown, engaged or… not. You’re still _you_.”

“Weren’t you just telling me how I’m one of _them_ now?” She looked at him accusingly.

Drake sighed into his drink. “I was being an idiot. I shouldn’t have said that. I knew it as soon as the words were out of my mouth. You didn’t deserve that.”

“Drake… is that as close as you come to an apology?”

He chuckled. “You don’t let me get away with anything, do you?” He bowed down towards her, spreading his arms dramatically. “Lady Riley Mason, I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

Riley shook her head, smiling. “Thank you.”

“It’s just… in that moment, when I saw you at the ball… you reminded me of Savannah.” There was a heavy sadness in his eyes now. “How she was the last night we went out with the nobles, at that party. She was so happy in her fancy gown, with her hair all done up. So hopeful. She lit up the entire room. She really believed she’d made it. That she was one of them…”

Riley put a hand on his arm, squeezing it comfortingly.

“And I still don’t even know what happened to her, what made her leave. But it was bad. It was something that broke her. I’ll never forget how devastated she looked the day before she disappeared. She looked… hopeless. Like she’d given up.” He met her eyes, gazing at her worriedly. “And when I looked at you tonight… I couldn’t stop myself from imagining the same thing happening to you. This place seems shiny and wonderful, but the truth is, it breaks people, Mason. I don’t ever want to see you broken.”

“Drake… I’m sorry about Savannah.”

“Thanks. I know she would’ve liked you.” He sipped his drink. “Hell, Mason. My life would’ve been so much easier if I could’ve just hated you. I—” Drake sighed and looked down.

“What were you thinking just now?”

“I was thinking… about how much Savannah idolized the Beaumonts… when she was here, and…”

“…and?”

“…and how much you _also_ idolize them… or at least one in particular.”

She drew in her breath. “Drake… if this is about how I feel about Maxwell…”

“It is, Mason. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

Riley put a hand on his arm reassuringly. “I think you’ve got him all wrong, Drake. He’s different with me…”

He put a hand over hers, looking at her cautiously. “Then tell me my assumptions of what happened last night are out of line.” He felt her tense up beneath his hand and knew by the look in her eyes that it was exactly what he had been thinking. He had to force back the quell of anger that threatened to burst forward. “Mason… tell me you didn’t…” he said quietly.

She dropped her hand, looking down at the ground. “It was spur of the moment… kind of a Truth or Dare thing… I kind of instigated that one.”

“ _What_?” He stared at her incredulously.

“Well… we were going back and forth asking each other questions, and I decided to ask him if there was anyone in the world he could spend a night with, no strings attached, who would he spend it with…”

“And he chose you…” Drake finished, shaking his head.

“I didn’t want to believe it wouldn’t mean anything, so…” She winced as she turned her gaze to meet his eyes. “…I told him to _prove_ it wouldn’t mean anything.”

“Oh, Mason…”

She sighed, tracing her finger along one of the fine cracks in the wall. “Of course, I _wanted_ it to mean more than what it was, but that wasn’t going to happen. Maxwell told me it was different than everyone else just because of how close we are, and so in some way, it _did_ mean something to him.”

The longer she kept talking about it, the angrier he felt inside. Maxwell had _really_ done it this time. Why couldn’t the man just keep it in his pants for once? This could not end well for her. “I really don’t want to say it, Mason, but I’m pretty sure he told you what you wanted to hear. That’s his style. He learns how his partners work and what makes them feel special before he beds them. Trust me, I’ve heard all his stories…” He grimaced. “And a lot more.”

“Drake…” Hurt was written all over her face. “That can’t be true. He… he wouldn’t lie to me like that.”

He studied her face, deciding to drop it. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mason… Maybe you’re right. For his sake, I hope you are…” He was silent for a moment as he tapped his glass with one finger, sorting out his thoughts. “I don’t know… I guess I just see so many similarities between you and Savannah that I’m starting to feel a little more protective of you… like I was… _still am_ … of her.”

“Drake…” A small smile formed on her face. “Are you saying… I’m like your _sister_?”

“Now don’t go getting all mu— _oof_!” He nearly fell backwards as she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. “ _Geez_ , Mason!”

“Awww, I have a giant marshmallow for a brother!”

“Now wait a minute—”

“Too late! No take-backs!”

“I regret everything,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. At the same time, he couldn’t help a tiny chuckle escaping from his lips as he clapped his hand against her back. “You’re something else, Mason.”

Just then, the door to the palace burst open, and they instinctively moved a polite distance from each other. They could hear a group of party-goers come out to the bar. “Where’s the bartender?” Penelope called out.

“More champagne!” Kiara demanded.

Drake gave Riley a rueful look. “Looks like the party found us.”

“It’s not really a night where you can get any privacy, is it?”

“You’d better head back inside.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be out here until…” He sighed pensively. “…it’s time.”

Leaving Drake alone at the bar, Riley headed back inside the palace. Inside the ballroom, she spotted Bertrand and Maxwell hustling over to her. “Maxwell! Bertrand!” She looked between the two of them, noting the concerned looks on their faces. “…Is something wrong?”

“We found something…” Maxwell said, shuffling back and forth.

“We intercepted a courier with a letter addressed to you,” Bertrand explained.

“Bertrand, you make a good postman,” Riley joked.

Bertrand scowled. “I’m _not_ your personal servant.”

Riley laughed softly, shaking her head. “Oh _relax_ , Bertrand, you won’t have to put up with me for much longer.”

“To _both_ our reliefs…” he muttered, handing her the letter.

“Can’t this wait? There’s kind of a big event that’s about to happen…”

He glared at her. “Do you think I’d bother you on such an evening if it weren’t important. It says it’s _urgent_.”

“Urgent?” She took the folded letter and opened it, reading the letter.

_Lady Riley,_ the note read. _The Prince will never be yours, and you will never be queen. Leave court now._


	19. Breaking Hearts

** Chapter 19: Breaking Hearts **

_Here I am, once again  
I’m torn into pieces  
Can’t deny it, can’t pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up deep inside  
But you won’t get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes  
_ **_(Kelly Clarkson – “Behind These Hazel Eyes”)_ **

Riley stared at the letter in her hand for a moment, stunned. “Huh?” She re-read the words over and over, as if they could change into something less threatening.

“Compose yourself, Lady Riley,” Bertrand hissed. “We’re in _public_.”

“Oh. Of course…” She exhaled quietly, forcing a polite smile.

“Are you okay?” Maxwell put a hand on her shoulder. “What does it say?” She held out the letter to him, and Bertrand looked over his shoulder as they read it. “Lady Riley, the Prince will never be yours, and you will never be queen. Leave court now…” His expression was neutral as he looked back up to meet her gaze, but she could see the shock in his eyes.

“Sounds like someone wants me out of the way…” Riley glanced nervously around the ballroom.

“How _dare_ anyone send a letter like this to a member of our house!” Bertrand scowled.

“It’s probably someone plotting against me. I wonder what this person has planned…”

“Whatever it is, I don’t intend to let them win,” Bertrand said with a determined look in his eyes.

Maxwell looked down, glaring at the note. “Yeah! No one messes with our Riley.”

“I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”

“There is one other thing…” Riley said. “Olivia confronted me earlier today. She thought _I’d_ written a threatening note to _her_.”

“Most interesting…” Bertrand looked thoughtful. “You, Olivia, and Lady Madeleine _would_ be seen as the three favorites still in contention for the crown. If someone’s targeting the three most likely suitors to win, then Madeleine may have _also_ been given a note.”

“And if she didn’t, it might mean she’s the one messing with you and Olivia.” Maxwell added.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. It could simply mean that whoever is behind it wants Madeleine to win.”

Maxwell frowned. “Yeah, and no one wants that more than Madeleine herself.”

Bertrand used a handkerchief to pluck the letter out of Maxwell’s hands before returning it to him. “Maxwell, put this somewhere secure. If you two haven’t already wiped away any traces, we may be able to get a fingerprint off it later.”

“Got it. Be right back.” Maxwell dashed off with the letter.

Bertrand turned to her. “For now, Riley, you must continue on as though _nothing_ has happened.”

“You think that’s best?”

“It could be that distracting you from the ball is exactly what this culprit desires.”

“So that means…?”

“You should continue to keep up all appearances of enjoying the festivities. I suspect this is nothing more than a childish prank, but _I’ll_ investigate it. You stay focused on tonight and the Prince.” Bertrand turned to go.

“Bertrand… wait. Earlier, you said ‘no one does this to a member of our house’…”

Bertrand nodded solemnly. “And I stand by that.”

“Well, it’s just… after tonight, if the Prince chooses me, I doubt we’ll get moments like this again. There’re some things I’ve always wanted to know. For instance… why did you sponsor me? It seems odd for you to go on a recommendation from Maxwell, given how little you seem to trust him.”

“Maxwell spoke highly of you… and…”

“The truth, Bertrand?”

“Very well.” He sighed. “I was desperate. To be honest, I had interviewed a number of noble ladies about taking on the task. But none were up to my standards. And by the time I realized that we might be left with no suitor at all, it was nearly too late. When Maxwell found you, I had no choice but to take the gamble.”

“I must’ve been long odds.”

“Oh, _horrible_ odds. If I had any common sense left that day, I would’ve said no. But Maxwell convinced me to take a chance on _love_.” He wrinkled his nose in sheer revulsion. “He convinced me that the Prince was truly falling for you. And even without anything else, he thought that might be enough to make you queen. And I suppose it turns out that I’m glad I trusted him.”

“Maybe you should trust him more often.”

“Yes… I suppose perhaps I should. Now, anything else?”

“Why are you always angry at Maxwell?”

“He lacks discipline and responsibility. As a Beaumont, he should know better, but he refuses to behave. If he corrected his behavior, there’d be no cause for my ire.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t thrown him out on the street, the way you treat him.”

Bertrand stared at her in disbelief. “Do I look like the type of person to disown my own _brother_?”

“Kinda…”

“He’s a nuisance, but the only thing worse than financial ruin is familial ruin. What’s the point of restoring House Beaumont if I cast our family out in the process? Besides, Maxwell wouldn’t last a fortnight without me.”

“He’s a good guy, you know. And all grown up. He can take care of himself better than you think.”

“Perhaps.” His face softened slightly. “But he’ll always be my little brother. So in a way, I don’t think I’ll ever feel like I can stop looking out for him.”

“Aww, that’s… actually touching.” Riley smiled.

“Yes, well, don’t tell him _that_. Now, are we done here?”

“I’m curious, Bertrand… why aren’t _you_ married?”

“What?!” He glared at her. “Why would you ask _that_?”

“Weddings and engagements have been on my mind lately. For obvious reasons.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to ask me about my business.”

“Okay… I was only curious.”

“If you must know, weddings are costly affairs. And on top of that, any prospective suitors would be scrutinizing my finances. So while we’re facing ruin, it’s simply not an option. But once this is over, I fully intend to find my own bride. Now, are we done with the questions?”

“Well… one more.”

“It’d _better_ be more tactful.”

“It will be…” Riley gave him a sad look. “Bertrand… what happens after tonight?”

“Either you win Prince Aidan’s hand or House Beaumont faces ruination.”

“Let’s go with the happy scenario.”

“I’d like to as well. Assuming you win, we’ll continue to work together in an informal capacity. If you _do_ manage to pull this off, I’m actually looking forward to seeing how you’ll do as queen.”

“Well…” She frowned, looking worried as she thought about the threatening letter she’d just received. “What if something bad happens to me?”

“You’re a member of House Beaumont now. I’ll be _damned_ if I let anything happen to you. Besides, you’re only steps away from being the Queen of Cordonia. And once you have that title and Prince Aidan protecting you, you’ll be beyond anyone’s reach. If you _do_ manage to pull this off, I’m actually looking forward to seeing how you’ll do as queen.”

“Oh, so I guess that would mean you’ll finally have to bow to me. And you’ll have to address me as _Your Majesty_ ,” Riley teased.

Bertrand frowned. “I would _hope_ you’re doing this for more than lording your status over me…”

“It’s a nice perk…” Bertrand just glowered at her. “Kidding!” She smiled. “I hope I don’t disappoint you as royalty.”

“As queen, my disappointment will be the least of your worries.”

“I still value your opinion.”

“Well then, as long as you’re willing to help out your sponsor every now and then, you’ll stave off the worst of my disappointment.”

“I’ll be there for you when I can.”

“House Beaumont will be in your debt.” He nodded earnestly to her. “Well, I’m off to ask around and see if I can discern anything about this idiotic letter. You go socialize and win us a prince.”

“I’m on it. Have I ever disappointed you?” Bertrand simply raised his giant eyebrow at her. “Yeah… sorry… I realized it the moment it came out of my mouth.”

“Lady Riley…”

“What?”

“Just… remember that you’ve managed to make it this far. Most nobles were saying you wouldn’t last the first week. You’ve proven them wrong so far. What’s a little more?” Bertrand bowed to her and headed off into the crowd.

Riley stared after him, slightly stunned. _That was unusually kind of Bertrand. Now, I suppose I should mingle…_ She searched the room, but she didn’t spot any of her friends. Then she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Hey! I’m back—” Maxwell backed up a step as she visibly tensed. “You okay?”

Riley shook her head. “Yeah. This whole letter thing is just a little weird.”

“You look like you could use a break.” He put a hand on her shoulder, gesturing toward the hallway. “How about we get out of here for a little while and get some air?”

Riley frowned, unsure. “But Bertrand told us to stay and socialize…”

“I know, but it’s more important that you’re in the right frame of mind for tonight. Besides, we’ll stay close. What do you say? It might be the last time we’ll really get to hang out before you become queen and all…”

The reality in his words hit her. Tonight was it. If Aidan was really going to propose to her, her life was going to change completely. All of her friends, with the exception of Drake, would return to their respective homes, and she wouldn’t see them as much as she used to. Riley looked at Maxwell, already unable to think of spending a day without seeing him around. “Yeah… let’s take a break…”

“Alright.” Maxwell led her out to the grand staircase. They both climbed to the middle landing and sat. Taking a moment, they looked back to the ballroom, scanning over the platform where the Coronation announcement would be held. “That’s where the magic will happen. It’s amazing to think how far you’ve come.”

Riley slowly shook her head. “Who’d’ve thought I would be standing here on the eve of potentially being selected as Cordonia’s future queen?”

“I did!” Maxwell grinned. “You gotta believe in the person you’re sponsoring.”

“Of course. You called it.”

“You know I did. Though, I have to admit, you’ve changed a bit since I first saw you in New York.”

“I _feel_ like a changed person.” Riley stared down at her gown, thinking back to just a few short months ago when things were so much simpler. “My old self wouldn’t recognize me, and it’s not just because I’m no longer in a waitress uniform.”

“I think you’ve kept the good parts while developing some new skills. You look like a natural at court now. You’ll manage fine without us…” Sadness entered his eyes, and he quickly looked down. “Not that I was ever very much help. I wish we could’ve showered you with gifts and dresses and jewelry. One of the wealthier houses could’ve. You would’ve deserved it.”

“Maxwell… you know very well that I’m not some spoiled noble who can’t take care of herself.”

“That’s true. You’re a lot tougher than we expected.” He moved his head up, and his eyes met hers. “You’ve always impressed me…” They stared at each other for a long moment before he cast his eyes down again. “I think you’ve even impressed Bertrand too. It’s strange to think that soon, you’ll be queen, and Bertrand and I will go back to being Duke Ramsford and his handsome brother.”

“Will you two be okay? Your finances weren’t looking great, and that was _before_ the social season.”

Maxwell patted her shoulder affectionately. “With our number one winning lady as queen, we’ll be fine. Every house clamoring to pay their respects to us, not to mention the sweet business deals that’ll come with it. The Beaumont name will be restored to its former glory. Bertrand can take a breather. Hell, maybe even a _vacation_.”

“Hmm… I’ll have to pay a royal visit.”

Maxwell laughed. “Yesssss! We can’t have a true Beaumont Bash unless all the Beaumonts are there. That includes you.” His laughter faded into a sigh as he scanned over the dancers swaying across the ballroom.

“Hey,” she said, tilting her head to meet his eyes. “If there was something wrong, you’d tell me, right?”

“Of course. I trust you.”

“You know, I’m always here if you need to talk.”

“It’s appreciated. But there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Maxwell… I _know_ something is wrong with House Beaumont. The finances, Bertrand berating you for missing money… the money in the study… Things don’t add up.” Maxwell looked over at her with a troubled expression, saying nothing. She reached for his hand. “You know you can trust me.”

He sighed heavily. “Remember how we talked about secrets last night, Riley? Some secrets just aren’t mine to tell… let’s leave it at that.”

“It just seems like there are a lot of secrets in House Beaumont.”

“Yeah… I guess I can see how it’d seem that way. Bertrand’s been through a lot.”

“And you?”

“I guess I’ve been through it too, but Bertrand takes this stuff a lot harder than I do. After we lost our mom, my dad wasn’t exactly the talk-about-your-feelings kind of guy.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I know you cared a lot about her.”

“It was a long time ago. I just think we all kind of tried to deal in our own ways. And Bertrand’s was to shut everyone out. It’s been really nice having a lady in House Beaumont again. I think you’ve actually gotten Bertrand to open up a little.”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “This is Bertrand _opening up_?”

“Heh. You can imagine what he’s like normally…”

“I shudder to think.”

Maxwell breathed in slowly, gazing at her silently for a moment. “I’ll really miss having you as part of our house, y’know? When you’re queen, I won’t be there to wake you up every morning. No more dragging you around to put on dresses. No more limo rides with Bertrand’s judging stare…”

“Oh, good riddance,” Riley teased, nudging him in the ribs. “I was getting sick of seeing your crazy face outside my door every morning anyway.”

Maxwell laughed. “Surrrrre. You’ll come to miss it. Everyone does.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Seriously… I’ll miss you.”

He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to him. “We’re all going to miss you. Even Bertrand.”

Riley turned her head to look at him. “ _Really?_ ”

“As much as he possibly can without straining himself.” Maxwell reached up, rubbing the stair banisters next to him. “Before the announcement, let’s do one last wild thing…”

“Such as?”

“These railings happen to look perfect for sliding…”

Riley jumped up. “Let’s do it! We need to time it so we reach the bottom at the same time!”

“Oooh!” Maxwell jumped up with her. And then we strike a pose!”

“Yeah! Let’s do it.” They ran up to the top, each sitting on either side of the stairs.

“On three! One… two… _three!_ ” Riley and Maxwell slid down the railings together. “Woooooo!”

“Yeeaaahhh!” They both jumped off at the bottom and struck a pose.

“We look _so_ badass right now,” Maxwell said.

“This room doesn’t know what hit them.”

“If only we’d had sunglasses, this place wouldn’t have been able to take how awesome we are!”

“The fun’s not over yet!” She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway.

“Riley, where are we—”

“Just come on!” She led him on a familiar path through the palace until they reached…

“The treehouse.” His eyes shone as he remembered the first time he’d brought her there. “Riley…”

“I… thought it’d be appropriate, this probably being the last ball we spend together, that is. And we came here for our _first_ ball, so…” She smiled as she looked out into the garden, lit up by the moonlight.

“You know, technically, if we were counting each dancing event we went to… we’d have to count Kismet as our first, instead of the Masquerade…” Maxwell smiled fondly at the memory. That dance was literally the first moment she’d taken his breath away.

“How about a dance to celebrate all of those times?”

“You think?”

“Why, Maxwell…” Riley pretended to look shocked. “Are you _questioning_ an impromptu dance moment?!”

“Oh god, you’re right!” He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his playlists.

“What are we looking for?” She leaned against his arm, peeking at his phone.

“For a song to dance to!”

“Is _that_ an entire Celine Dion collection?” She pointed to one of the folders.

“No regrets!”

“Well, which one?”

They scrolled through the many different songs, both their eyes eventually landing on a particular one. “That one!” they both said at once, looking over at each other immediately as they said it. They laughed.

Maxwell pressed play and set the phone on the garden wall, taking Riley’s hand and twirling her around toward the middle of the garden. The energetic beat of Celine Dion’s “You and I” began to play around them, and they swayed across the grounds together.

“Sometimes I find myself wanting to stay in this little world we have forever…” Riley mused as Maxwell spun her around, her back now facing him as her body pressed closer to his.

“What do you mean?” he asked, spinning her back around to face him, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her close.

She raised her eyes to meet his. “Well… let’s just say that if things were different, I would’ve been your dancing queen tonight.”

“In this alternate timeline, I’d be honored to have you as my partner. And I’d never leave the floor, with you on my arm.”

“I bet you would… eventually.” She smiled as he lifted her in the air, swinging her around as she randomly began singing along to the song. “You and I, were meant to fly…”

“Higher than the clouds, we’ll sail across the sky…” Maxwell chimed in, his voice harmonizing with hers. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other, continuing to dance and sing under the moonlight.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The two of them slowly made their way back from the garden back to the grand staircase. Maxwell smiled and then sighed. “It’s been fun, Riley. A lot more fun than I expected. Thanks for that.” He held out his fist. Riley stared at it and instead threw her arms around Maxwell in a big, warm hug. After his initial surprise, he brought his arms around her, hugging her tightly to him. “Awww, we’re like besties.”

She laughed against him. “That’s because we _are_ besties, silly.” She leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek. He froze, staring down at her in surprise. “Just a little social smooch…”

“Way to catch me off guard.” He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he averted his gaze back towards the ballroom entrance.

_Tic tock, Maxwell_ , Hana’s words flew back to his head. _Don’t keep her waiting…_

“Hey, Maxwell,” Riley said quietly, breaking his thoughts. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Ask me anything.”

Sadness and fear covered her face as she looked up at him. “Are we still going to be friends if I’m not declared queen? I mean, I know I’m only really here as the suitor for House Beaumont… and one way or another, that’s about to end.”

Maxwell stared at her incredulously. Was she serious? After everything they had been through together? “And so you’re wondering if we just kick you to the curb if you’re not crowned tonight…?”

“Kind of…”

“Of _course_ not!” He put his hands on her shoulders, looking intently in her eyes. “You’re one of my best friends, Riley… my best, _best_ friend, actually. You mean so much to me! There’s _no way_ that would happen.”

Her eyes glistened with emotion as she stared back at him. “Maxwell…”

“What I mean is, of course Bertrand and I really, really, really hope you become queen. I mean, I think Bertrand might _murder_ me if you don’t… But as far as I’m concerned, win or lose, you’re still part of House Beaumont. And I’d _never_ just kick you out of my…” He cleared his throat quietly. “… _our_ lives.” Maxwell leaned back against the wall and ran his fingers through his hair, looking away from her. “Well. It’s getting late. I hope this made you feel better…”

Riley nodded, wiping at her eyes. “Yeah… worked like a charm.”

He put his arm around her, pulling her toward him in a one-armed hug. “Ready to get back in there?”

“I’d rather stay out here with you.” She stared toward the ballroom. “I could stay out here with you all night…”

“Nah…” Maxwell laughed uneasily. “You’ll miss the Coronation if you stay out here with me.”

Riley looked back at him. “Maybe you’re worth it.”

Maxwell smiled down at her. “You’ve always been so good to me, Riley. I know I can be annoying as hell sometimes…”

“Not to me.”

“You’re a good person, Riley…” He looked away as emotion started to build behind his eyes. You… You’re gonna make a great queen.”

“Thanks, Maxwell.”

“Just callin’ it like I see it. Now, come on… before Bertrand finds us and tells us we’re slacking on our social appearances.” Maxwell took her hand and placed it on his arm, heading back toward the ballroom.

_Until you tell her what’s in your heart, she’ll never have the opportunity to make that decision._ Hana’s voice continued to argue back in his mind.

_Damn you, Invisible Hana._ He clenched his jaw, continuing to head toward ballroom door. House Beaumont needed this. Bertrand needed this. More importantly, _Aidan_ needed this. Riley was going to be his queen, end of story. He was not about to change what was meant to be, no matter how badly it was killing him inside.

_What other choice does she have_ besides _Aidan if no one else is there to fight for her?_

_Shut_ up _, Hana!_

_Tic tock, Maxwell_ , Hana’s words repeated. _Tic tock… tic tock… tic tock…_

“Riley, wait…”

Riley turned to him, as they stopped short of the ballroom door. “Maxwell?”

He pulled her out of sight of the crowd and took her hand in his. “I haven’t been honest with you… with a lot of things.” He swallowed hard as she stared up at him intently. “Riley, I just need you to know, before we go out there… no matter what happens tonight, that I’m sorry. For everything.” He squeezed her hand as he braced himself to muster out the next words. “Riley, I… I l—”

“Maxwell.” A roguishly handsome man that looked strangely similar to Aidan appeared next to them and clapped Maxwell on the back. “I _thought_ I heard your voice roaming these halls!”

It took Maxwell a second to register who he was before he smiled and opened his arms. “…Leo!” The two exchanged a brief hug. “Where have you been?

“Oh, you know how it is. One moment, you’re off wandering Grecian ruins, then you end up on a cruise in the Mediterranean… but that’s a story for another time…”

Riley held out her hand as Drake strode up to their group. “It’s a pleasure to meet you… Uh, Your Grace?”

Leo smiled warmly at her as he shook her hand. “Please, just Leo.”

“Why no title? Everyone here has a title.” She gave Drake a friendly pat on the head. “Even Drake here is Lord Grumps-a-lot.”

“Ha ha, Mason.”

Leo let out a guttural laugh. “Ah, yes. It sounds like you haven’t changed at all, have you, Drake?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“So Leo… are you an old friend of Maxwell’s?” Riley asked.

“You could say that…”

“We go way back,” Maxwell explained. “He was my partner-in-crime at our Beaumont parties.”

“You can’t aim a bow to save your life, but you’re decent at jousting. Last I recall, we never had a chance to break our tie.”

“You’re lucky we can’t have that match now.”

“I’m not here to steal the limelight. This is Prince Aidan’s event.”

“If you don’t have a title, then who let you into the Beaumont parties?” Riley inquired.

“Being part of the Royal Family has its perks, I guess. Like getting into exclusive balls.” Leo gave her a playful wink.

Realization hit her eyes. “That must mean, you’re…”

“Leo’s the former Crown Prince of Cordonia and half-brother to Prince Aidan,” Drake finished.

“I’m surprised you didn’t lead with that…”

Leo shrugged. “It’s better if people don’t know. I want others to care about my former title as much as I do, which is not at all. Besides, Leo’s a perfectly fine title. It suits me.”

“So… why did you abdicate?”

“It’s a bit of a story, but we can summarize it by saying that I didn’t want the responsibilities of being a king.”

“Imagine a less handsome version of me as the Crown Prince.” Maxwell grinned.

“ _Less_ handsome, huh?” Leo eyed him mockingly.

“Equally handsome?”

“So… why did you come back?” Riley asked.

“I may not have liked my title, but I love my brother. I’m here for him. My father thought my presence would reinforce my support for Aidan taking the Crown. And plus, I couldn’t let him get engaged without me.”

Just then, Madeleine walked up and joined the circle, wearing a saccharine-sweet smile on her face. “Leo… _darling_. How fortunate you found the time to join us.”

Leo nodded to her politely, taking a slight step back. “Madeleine… you know I wouldn’t miss my brother’s Coronation.”

“I’m glad there remain a few sentiments that’ll make you return to court. Your brother will be elated to know you’re watching him choose Cordonia’s future queen.”

“I heard you’re one of the potential brides again.”

“Cordonia has _lovingly_ granted me another chance to be her queen.”

As Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she felt Maxwell elbow her as he leaned in to whisper, “ _Hey! This could be your chance to see if Madeleine got a note. I mean, she might not tell you, but you could ask?_ ”

“Hey, Madeleine…” Madeleine turned her head, eyeing Riley warily. “Have you received any correspondence tonight?”

“Correspondence? No. I’ve had quite enough on my hands with the ball tonight. I’m afraid I haven’t had time for any letters tonight.” She nodded briefly to their group. “Now, it was a pleasure seeing you all, but you’ll have to excuse me.”

“Of course.” Leo’s stoic demeanor did not change.

“Take care.” Madeleine made her way past Leo and rejoined the crowd.

Leo looked over at Riley and Maxwell with an eyebrow raised. “What was _that_ all about?”

“It’s nothing,” Maxwell said. “Just trying to get to the bottom of a mystery.”

“This court never lacked for mysteries.”

“It seemed like there weren’t any hard feelings between you and Madeleine.”

“Trust Madeleine to handle everything gracefully, even running into her former fiancé.”

“So, Leo… how did you end up engaged to her?” Riley asked.

“Madeleine and I had known each other since childhood… to the point where there were talks of an early betrothal between our families, but it never went through. However, it made her a favorite during the last social season, and due to the politics of a public courtship system, she won. That’s how I ended up engaged to a woman I had no romantic feelings for.”

“I’m sorry you went through that.”

“It was just another trapping of courtly life. I wasn’t thrilled having my future decided for me. But the engagement ended when I abdicated. Everything’s been better since then.”

“That’s good.”

“Because of that experience, I desperately hope Aidan chooses someone he loves.”

“I do too.”

“I was able to break off my engagement, but he may not be able to do that. He’s the well-behaved one.”

Maxwell nodded his head very fast. “Definitely. He’s never really let loose at a party before.”

“From what I’ve heard, Lady Riley’s been good for him in that regard.” Leo looked down at her with a grin.

Riley smiled back up at him. “Aidan never lets things go too far.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Drake whisper something to Maxwell, who nodded solemnly to him. The two of them immediately strolled out of the room.

“It’s true. The difference between me and him is that he comes back for his morning duties. Try ditching your security detail and disappearing from court for _weeks_ at a time. If you find Bastien, he has some good stories to share about hunting me down. The time he scaled a dormant volcano is particularly good.”

Her eyes grew wide. “He… what?”

“Let’s just say that I really put him through his paces. I’m sure his assignment to Aidan has been a walk in the park for him.”

“Wow… you must’ve been a bad influence.”

“Thankfully, I didn’t rub off on him too much. Just enough to foster a rebellious charm. In truth, I couldn’t have asked for a better brother. It’s fitting he’s the one to take over the throne. I would’ve been downright irresponsible, and quite frankly, it’s better for everyone this way. Cordonia will be well-served by him.”

“We’re lucky to have him.”

“And hopefully he’s lucky enough to have you.”

“How kind of you to say.”

“I can see what he sees in you.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank _you_ … for being there for my brother when I wasn’t.”

“Well…” She let her gaze travel over to the platform at the front of the room and back to Leo. “…let’s hope it’s enough.”

“I guess we’ll be finding out soon enough, won’t we? Aidan is due to make his announcement soon.”

“Leo!” Aidan walked up to the two of them, grinning as he put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “What are you telling Lady Riley about me now? Nothing too embarrassing I hope…”

“Good things only, brother. Truthfully, there’s nothing else to tell.” Leo clapped Aidan on the back and pulled him into an embrace.

“It’s been far too long.”

“If I could see _you_ without all of _this_ …” Leo gestured to the ballroom and the nobles. “Trust me, I’d be home a lot more often, little brother.”

“Just know that you’re more than welcome any time you’d like to drop in.”

“You always know how to make me feel at home. But, as happy as I am to see you, now that you’ve gotten a rare moment to yourself, I want to make sure you’re putting your time to its best use.” He glanced around the room briefly. “Yep, I think it’s about time I go investigate the appetizers…” He nodded to the both of them. “Lady Riley, it was my profound pleasure to meet you. Aidan…”

“Love you too, big brother.” Leo clapped Aidan on the shoulder and then walked off. Aidan turned to Riley, smiling. “And so, Lady Riley, we find ourselves alone together.”

“So it would seem.”

“I’m sorry I had to cut our conversation short earlier.”

“It’s a busy night for you, I’m sure.”

“And yet, the only person I’ve been thinking about all night is you.”

“Aidan… you wanted to talk?”

Aidan closed the distance between the two of them, lowering his voice. “I want to be _alone_ with you… There are things I need to tell you, but it’s more than that…”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I want to do more than talk. The truth is, Lady Riley, I’m done waiting.” His hand reached down to hers, intertwining their fingers together. When she looked up at him, the heat in his eyes was unmistakable. “I _want_ you.”

She drew in her breath, unable to tear her gaze away. “Aidan…”

“If you feel the same way, that is… I’ll slip outside, and you can meet me there, if you can.”

Riley squeezed his hand in hers. “How can I say no to that?”

Aidan smiled down at her. “I was hoping you couldn’t. I’ll head out now… wait a few minutes and then you follow. Hopefully no one will notice.”

“I’ll make sure of it.” Aidan bowed to her, and she watched him cautiously slip out one of the ballroom doors to the side. As she started to wait, she suddenly heard a rise in angry voices coming from just outside the door behind her. Curious, she walked toward the door, the voices growing louder. _Drake? Maxwell?_ Her eyes grew wide as she remembered her earlier conversation with Drake. Had he confronted Maxwell and the conversation gone south? She opened up the door, catching the last part of their conversation.

“You owe her the _truth_ , Maxwell! She may not be wise to your games, but we all know what you were trying to pull all along.”

“Oh fine, Drake. You got me. I admit it all! Sure, I brought her here to win Prince Aidan’s hand, but I thought, why not have a little myself? You all heard me that night. I said she was _hot_.”

“And Aidan told you to chill. We _both_ did!”

“Oh why stop there? It was such a genius idea to bring her in to Cordonia and be her sponsor. Easy access, amIright?”

Drake just glowered at him, his eyes going wide a moment later as he saw Riley step out from behind the door, watching the scene in shock. He tried to utter her name, but nothing came out. _Oh god… Mason…_

Maxwell was too wound up to notice Drake’s change in behavior. “And it’s a win-win! House Beaumont wins…”

“Maxwell…” Drake growled.

“…I get Bertrand off my case…”

“ _Maxwell…_ ” Drake’s voice became slightly more insistent.

“…and I managed to get a little—”

“ _Maxwell_.”

Maxwell froze. That wasn’t Drake’s voice. _No…_ He turned around, barely about to see that it was her before his face reeled back from the force of Riley’s slap. He held his hand against his burning cheek, not meeting her eyes.

“Go to _hell_!” she hissed, storming away.

“Riley, wait!” He chased after her, grabbing her arm. “Please, listen…”

“Let go of me!” She glared back at him, yanking her arm away. “I think I’ve heard enough.”

“Please, Riley,” he pleaded. “What I said back there… it’s not what you think…”

“No, I get it now, Maxwell.” She stared coldly at him. “It has always been about reputation. Bertrand’s… House Beaumont’s… and apparently ‘ _Cordonia’s Hottest Playboy_!’”

“No, no…” He shook his head. “Riley, I meant what I’d said… not with Drake, but with you… you really _do_ mean everything to me.”

“Just stop.” She shut her eyes, forcing the emotion back. “I can’t hear it anymore. Apparently, I’m so important to you that only _I_ know it, and our friends will go on thinking that I’m just falling for some game of yours. I’m not doing this.” She headed towards the palace doors. “Just stay away from me, Maxwell!”

He sunk to his knees, shaking. This wasn’t happening. Just earlier the two of them were perfectly happy together. Now everything had come crashing down into a seemingly unfixable mess.

“She had to find out about this game of yours sometime,” Drake’s voice said behind him.

Maxwell turned his head toward him, his voice sounding uncharacteristically cold. “You don’t know _anything_ about me. None of you do. You’re the most sarcastic person I’ve ever met, and you _still_ can’t recognize sarcasm when it’s thrown right in your face.”

“I’m not following.”

“None of what I just told you was true.” He clenched his jaw tightly. “I just lashed out because you wouldn’t shut _up_!”

“Please, Maxwell…” Drake rolled his eyes. “You’re just mad because she caught you…”

“No, I’m pissed because the _one_ time I made a joke about it, she heard and thought I was serious, thanks to all the bullshit people have been filling her head with about me!” His fists began to clench, and he held them against himself, trying to keep control. “People think they know _all_ about me, act like they know me more than I know myself. Why do you think I don’t really have any real friends, Drake? And please don’t assume it’s over my _reputation_ …” Drake looked at him quietly, not responding. “It’s my _choice._ No one ever _wanted_ to get to know me. Until Riley…” He looked toward the palace doors and then back at him. “You want the _real_ truth, Drake?” His blue eyes flashed with pain as they stared at him. “I _love_ her.”

“…Say that _again_?” Drake stared at him in amazement.

“You heard me. I have one hundred percent been in love with that woman since I brought her over here, and this whole competition has been _killing_ me, trying to help her win Aidan’s hand.”

Drake stood still, dumbfounded that he now knew that both of them had mutual feelings for one another. And oddly enough, they somehow never found out about the other. Every time he had spoken to Riley, she had indicated that Maxwell was never that interested, which he had figured was because of… well… “So… I’m guessing you haven’t actually _told_ her then, by the sound of it.”

“I almost told her tonight…” He sighed, the corners of his eyes burning with tears as he stared over at the palace doors where she had fled from him. “But I guess it doesn’t matter now…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She stood outside the hedge maze, trying to stop herself from crying. She really didn’t want Aidan to see her like this. _How could I have been so blind to all this?_ She slowly willed her body to calm down, reminding herself that she and Maxwell were never meant to be in the first place. It had always been her and Aidan. And Aidan was waiting for her in the middle of that hedge maze… no lies, no heartache—just pure warmth and love as he’d always given her. How could she even question that?

A few minutes later, she snuck through the hedges, finding Aidan waiting for her at the center. “This feels familiar…” she said.

“It’s the only place here where I know we won’t be found.” He smiled. “Riley… thank you for coming out here with me.”

“Well, you were _very_ persuasive.”

He reached down to stroke her hair, looking at her curiously. “Riley… have you been crying?”

“I…” She unconsciously reached a hand up to her face. “It’s just…” She closed her eyes as she felt his other hand move to her lower back, rubbing it gently, soothing her almost instantly. She opened her eyes, staring up at his patient expression. “…very overwhelming.”

“I understand.” He folded her in his strong arms, holding her close. “It’s a big night.”

She sighed, leaning into him, taking comfort in his embrace. “Yeah…” The two of them remained silent for a few moments.

“I’m so glad we have this moment alone together. I know that as a member of the royal family, there’s a certain expectation that my life will be in the spotlight. And I’ve accepted that… But this once, I wanted to be a little selfish. Right now, I want to have this moment just with you. Not in front of the entire court. Not with nobles and servants watching. I want to remember this moment… before our lives change forever tonight. And when I remember it, I want it to be just for _us_.”

“Aidan…”

“Riley, even if I didn’t need to choose a bride tonight, I’d still be proposing. Because I don’t need any more time to decide. I already _know_.”

Butterflies immediately started fluttering around her stomach. “Aidan… what are you saying?”

“Riley, I’ve wanted to say this for a while now… I never expected to feel this way about anyone. I never expected to meet anyone like you. These past few weeks have been torture… wanting desperately to spend time with you, but being held back by propriety and this damned process. Wanting so badly to hold you… to tell you that it was always you in my heart. Riley, you’re the brightest spot in my world. When I’m near you, I can’t help smiling, laughing… you’re the funniest, sweetest, most daring person that I know. And every time I see you, I find myself thinking how lucky, how incredibly lucky I am, that I’m the one you’re spending your time with. Ever since my brother abdicated, I was worried about finding a woman who would be worthy of being Queen of Cordonia. But since I’ve met you, I worry about being worthy of _you_. Riley Mason, you’re incredible in every sense of the word. And I don’t want to spend another minute without you knowing exactly how I feel. I’ve never said this to anyone before, but I know it’s more true than my own name. Which is all to say… Riley… I l _ove_ you.”

Riley’s heart was soaring, feeling the warmth and passion in every word he spoke. “Aidan… I…” She froze, unable to finish the sentence. It should have been an easy thing. He was an amazing man. Any woman would be lucky to have him, and here he was, pouring his heart out to _her_ , a nobody from New York who he just happened to run into at the bar she worked for. So why couldn’t she tell him she loved him back? Why was this so hard? “I… I’m not sure about this…”

If Aidan was surprised by her answer, he didn’t show it. “I know it’s quite a lot to take in at once. I’m not expecting anything of you right now. I just had to tell you. Riley, your happiness is _everything_ to me.”

“Then kiss me.” Looking into her eyes, he took her hand and kissed the back of it. She smirked at him. “That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

“Oh?” He smiled. “Is this better?” He turned her hand ever so slowly, kissing the inside of her wrist softly.

“It’s _closer_ …”

“Come here…” He gently tugged on her arm, pulling her into his embrace as his mouth dropped down tenderly onto hers. “Riley…” he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her as they kissed again and again, pressing against one another.

“Aidan…” Riley whispered. “Let’s take this all the way…”

His eyes shone as he stared down at her lovingly. “You want…?”

“Don’t you?”

Heat flashed in his eyes as he pulled her tighter against him. “ _Yes_. God, yes.” He dropped a kiss to her shoulder as he undressed her, his own heat warming her body against the night breeze. He stared reverently at her naked form in the moonlight. “Riley… you’re so beautiful…”

She stepped forward to tug his blazer off, hands pushing at his shirt and pants. “You don’t look half bad yourself…”

“Cheeky as ever.” Riley pulled him down on top of her, laying on the soft grass. He swallowed hard as his eyes met hers. “I’ve thought a lot about this moment…” he said softly, trailing a hand down the length of her body. “Every part of you is _amazing_ …”

“I’ve thought about it too,” she said. “Dreaming about it really and how it might be…”

He gazed into her eyes. “Any thoughts?”

She brushed a hand across his cheek. “I want it sweet and slow…”

“I couldn’t imagine it any other way…” He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Some time later, when they both caught their breath, Aidan stood, extending a hand to her to help her to her feet. They both proceeded to get dressed. “I wish we could stay out here all night, but…” He gave her a rueful smile.

“No. We should go in… It’s a big night for you. For both of us now.” She smoothed down her clothes and patted at her hair. “So, how do I look?”

Aidan smiled fondly at her. “Like a princess… or someone who’s about to be one.” He pulled her quickly to him, kissing her swiftly and soundly before letting her go. “Shall we?”

Riley paused, remembering the note from earlier. “Aidan… wait,” she said, taking his hand. “I need to tell you that I received a threatening letter.”

His eyes grew serious, his hand squeezing hers reassuringly. “A threatening letter?”

“It said I should leave court immediately…” she said worriedly.

“Do you still have it with you?”

“Maxwell put it somewhere safe. It could just be nothing… but I wanted to let you know.”

“Hmm, that’s troubling. I’ll have my men look into it, I promise. But for now…” He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. “…try not to let it worry you. We’ll find out who’s responsible.”

“Ready to go back?”

“After you…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Prince Aidan entered the ballroom a few minutes before she did. When she finally went inside, she nearly ran into Aidan and Olivia in the middle of a conversation.

“Olivia, what is it? You look distressed.”

“I… I have to go.”

“So soon? But we’re about to start the speeches…”

“You don’t understand. I’m withdrawing officially from this social season. I don’t know if you were planning to propose to me… I don’t know if I ever even had half a chance… But it doesn’t matter now. I’m resigning from this. Immediately.”

“But, Olivia… why?” He started to reach out to her when Bastien appeared at his side.

“I hate to interrupt, sir, but it’s time,” Bastien said, not even looking in Olivia or Riley’s direction. “Your father requests you go to him…”

“It’s okay, Aidan…” Olivia put a hand on his arm. “I’m leaving. Right now.”

“But—”

“Just go. Please. You’ll be a wonderful king. I know it.” As the concerned Prince was escorted away by Bastien, Olivia turned and shoved Riley aside, tears running down her face. “Out of my way!”

Riley looked at her, shocked. “Olivia… are you okay?”

“Like you’d really care!”

“It’s… just not like you to give up…” Concern filled her eyes.

“Don’t pretend to know me.” Olivia’s face crumbled as more tears flowed. She ran through the door without looking back. Riley ran out of the palace after her and caught up with her at the palace gates. “What do _you_ want?”

“Olivia, I honestly wanted to make sure you’re going to be all right.”

“Oh.” Olivia looked genuinely surprised. “That’s… decent of you.”

“You’re not one to give up easily, and I know you wanted this more than anything.”

“Not _this_. Not just being queen, or the crown, or the palace. What I wanted was _Aidan._ ”

Riley gave her a sympathetic look. “You really do love him, don’t you?”

“More than anyone, more than anything. You know how he is. How can you help but love him?”

“But you’re kind of like his little sister, right?”

“What? No! We were childhood _friends_. He looked out for me.”

“But you’re so different than him.”

“Exactly. I know I’m a terrible person. That’s why I know Prince Aidan is so… special. He’s not like me. He’s not like most of the people here. Aidan cares about everyone. I don’t know how he does it so genuinely. It must be exhausting.”

“So if you’re so in love with him, what happened that made you decide to leave?”

Olivia frowned and looked down at a crumpled piece of paper in her hand. “I’m being blackmailed. Earlier tonight, I got a message warning me to leave the Coronation ball and withdraw from the Prince’s consideration. I figured it was some dumb prank by you or one of the others… But then they sent _this_ …” Olivia held up a familiar-looking note. “It says it’s my last chance to leave before they reveal the truth about my parents.”

“The truth about your parents? I’d heard they both died in a political assassination.”

“According to the note and the documents it came with, my parents… they… they were traitors.” A sob escaped Olivia, and Riley reached out and embraced her. She winced, then she softened and leaned her head on Riley’s shoulder as she sobbed heartbrokenly.

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through…” Riley said sadly.

“Don’t even bother trying. I wouldn’t even wish this on _you_.” Olivia looked down at the papers in her hand and began ripping them to shreds. “Apparently, it was a rebellion they were plotting. An assassination so they could step in and claim the throne. They didn’t die protecting Cordonia or serving the Crown as I’d always been told. They died trying to overthrow the King. They died because they wanted more power and were willing to risk everything to get it… even their lives. Never mind that they had a child to think of. I’ll never forgive them for this. Never. I feel so foolish… to not have known the truth for so long.”

“But everyone was told the same story.”

“Another thing that I have the King to thank for, I suppose. I don’t know why he did it. Maybe a small mercy for the surviving daughter of a once-great house. Maybe because revealing the plot would’ve been worse for Cordonia’s stability than covering it up. I suppose I’ll never know why they fed me the lie they did… why they let the world go on believing my parents were upstanding nobles. In any case, someone found out.” Olivia finished ripping up the paper and wadded it into a ball. “I didn’t want to believe it, but there was proof along with the instructions to withdraw. And if I didn’t withdraw, every tabloid would run the story by the end of the night. The daughter of traitors would _never_ be allowed stay in Cordonia, let alone marry the Prince and rule. So now do you see? I had no choice. At least this way I can salvage my family’s reputation. Even if it is a lie…”

“Olivia… I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t _ask_ for your sympathy.”

“I know. I’m just… I’m here for you, okay?”

Olivia sighed. “…Thanks. It’s just a lot to process right now.”

“Olivia… we’ve got to figure out who did this!”

“Believe me, Riley, on my list of people to take revenge against, this blackmailer just jumped to the top. And it’s a long list. But I _will_ find out who is responsible. I _am_ a Nevrakis, after all… Whatever that means now. I always thought my parents died heroes… You know what, Riley? It’s probably better that I’m leaving. I’ve always known that Prince Aidan deserved better than me. I just thought I might still somehow end up with him if I wanted it the most. But… now I hope he chooses you. You’re the queen he deserves.”

“That’s very kind of you…”

“I didn’t say it to be nice. I’m not in the habit of idle flattery, certainly not for _you_ , at any rate. I said it because it’s true.”

“Olivia… does this mean we’re friends now?”

Olivia burst into a fit of laughter. “Ha ha ha! Oh no. No. Goodness, _no_! You and I will never be _friends_ , Lady Riley.”

“Point taken.”

“I just wanted you to know… in case you ever listened to any of the snide things that I said to you.”

“Olivia…”

“In any case, you’ve got to do this now for both of us. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that you can’t leave Aidan in Madeleine’s clutches. So go back in there. I’m counting on you now.” Olivia hesitated, then quickly reached out to squeeze her hand. “Goodbye, Riley.”

Riley looked at her sadly. “Goodbye, Olivia…”

Olivia slipped out the gate and into the waiting Rolls-Royce. As she was about to pull away, the window rolled down. “And Riley?”

“Yes?”

“Watch your back.” The window rolled up, and the car pulled away. Riley turned to go back to the palace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_New York…_

“Last call!” Carl shouted out to the remaining patrons, as he began wiping down the bar.

“That large party has been here for over two hours now.” Brandy leaned on the bar, looking exhausted.

“Well, lucky for you, we’ll be closing soon, and since you’ve been keeping them happy all night, you should score a good tip or two.”

Daniel popped out from the kitchen door, wiping his hands on a towel. “Dishes are done… for now.”

Carl eyed Brandy, who looked like she was about to fall asleep right at the counter. “Brandy, why don’t you call it a night? We can take over from here.”

“Yeah, whatever they leave you, I’ll put in the safe for you,” Daniel piped up.

She waved her hand in dismissal. “Nah… we only got a good hour or so left. What I could really use is a good energy boost…”

The door to the bar opened, and the three of them looked up. A short, stout little man in dark sunglasses and carrying a notepad came waltzing toward them. “Good morning, folks! I’m from the Cordonian Weekly, and I’ve heard that this place was part of the famous Lady Riley’s origin story. Would you say that information is accurate?”

Brandy looked from Daniel to Carl, who looked like he wanted to take the man’s head off already. “I _think_ I just found my second wind. I’ll go check on that table now…” She pushed past the man, purposely bumping the notepad out of his hand. “ _Oops!_ ” She smirked at Carl from behind the man’s back.

Carl folded his arms and stared at the man in silence. Daniel stood nearby, equally annoyed.

“Right… I’m guessing the information is correct then…” the man said, trying to mask the awkwardness in the air. He pulled a pen from his pocket, placing it against his notepad. “Just a few words for our readers, gentlemen. Was Lady Riley _always_ in the habit of carrying on affairs with multiple lovers, or is this a new trend?”

“What the hell?!” Daniel glared at him.

Carl slammed an empty bottle into the waste bin next to him, his eyes blazing. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the _hell_ out of my bar!”

“Now come on, sir. The readers have a right to know the truth!”

“And if you have readers, they’re not the brightest bunch if they’re reading some trashy tabloid looking to spread false gossip.” Carl glared at him.

“Okay, so you don’t like that question… how about this one? We understand Lady Riley is the daughter of the late Sgt. Jonathan Mason, who was tragically killed during the a—”

“Don’t you _dare_ bring Sgt. Mason into this!” Carl’s six-foot-seven build towered over the man’s five-foot-something body as he grabbed him by the collar, staring at him threateningly. “Get out _now_ , before I throw you out myself,” he growled.

“I think I should speak with your manager…” the man stammered.

“You’re talking to him. And he’s telling you to get the hell out!”

The man’s face fell. “I… the rights of the people…”

“Just _go_ already.” Daniel stood next to Carl. “You have no business in this bar. If you’re not a patron, we have the _right_ to kick you out!”

Suddenly, Brandy walked up and got in the man’s face. “ _Hey!_ You heard the boss. _Get out._ I’ve had a long night, and if I have to stay here any longer because you refused to leave our bar, you’re going to be dealing with _alllllllll_ kinds of bitch right here! You think _this_ man’s bad? Ohhhhh, don’t even get _me_ started!”

The man looked between the three of them and shook his head, starting to walk away.

“Oh, and give me that!” Brandy swiped away his notepad, tearing up his notes. “You won’t be needing these.”

“Hey!” He grabbed her arm angrily. “You can’t just—”

Carl’s hand slammed hard onto his shoulder. “Let her go _right_ now, or you and me are going to have a _big_ problem.”

He threw up his hands. “To hell with all of you! We’ve got pictures of her with that other man anyway. The report that’s coming out will blow things up tonight!” He walked out of the bar, slamming the door behind him.

The three of them looked between one another. “Riley… with another man?” Daniel looked bewildered. “That’s not like her at all.”

“They probably caught pictures of her with one of her friends and are trying to spin it that way.” Carl grabbed a lone bottle from one of the bar tables, tossing it into the waste bin.

“Screw those tabloids. They’re always digging up random things and blowing them up into something fifty times bigger than what the truth really is.” Brandy rolled her eyes.

Carl looked at her, amused. “Brandy, may I just say how amazing you were with that piece of garbage?”

“You know it, baby!” She glanced over at the drunken party, noticing they were finally starting to pick up and leave. “I should head over there one more time.”

As she left, Carl returned to behind the bar, placing the last of the bottles in order along the shelving. He frowned, looking at Daniel. “I don’t like this.”

“Well, we can’t reach her now. She’s already well into the Coronation,” Daniel said. “Since the party is leaving, let’s just turn on the news while we finish cleaning up and see what happens. If anything, she’ll call us, right?”

Carl turned on the overhead television, watching as a reporter from Trend was gushing over how everyone’s ball gowns turned out for the event. “Well, let’s hope the reports stay like _this_ all night—completely dull and boring.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Cordonia…_

“Riley…” Maxwell looked at her hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

She glared at him and turned her gaze towards the front of the room. “Just don’t.”

“Where were you?” Bertrand inquired.

“In the gardens, I found Olivia, and—”

“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. You’re here now. The King and Queen are about to give their address! After that, Prince Aidan will propose to his future bride!”

“I know, it’s just that I—”

Across the room, the King cleared his throat and rose. “If I may have everyone’s attention, please…”

Bertrand grinned proudly. “Front and center, Lady Riley. This is it.”

“But…”

“Whatever it is, it’ll be okay, Riley,” Maxwell said, earning another frown from her.

Before Riley could say more, Hana and Drake came up next to her. “It’s finally happening…” Hana whispered excitedly.

“Here we go…” Drake muttered.

The crowd hushed as King Constantine began to talk. “The moment we’ve been waiting for all season has finally arrived. It has been my great honor to serve Cordonia these last few decades. We’ve had turmoil, but Cordonia has pulled together even during our toughest times. I couldn’t be more proud to have been Cordonia’s King. And I only now pass the Crown to Prince Aidan because I know he’ll carry on exactly as I have. I couldn’t ask for a better successor.”

Aidan nodded. “Father…”

“It’s true. I love your brother, but you will be the King that Cordonia needs. Reliable, steady, wise, just. Though you weren’t born to be my successor, it’s feels as though this outcome was inevitable. Aidan, you are every bit the King I always hoped you’d be. Today, I pass the royal signet ring to you. Cordonia is yours, my son.”

“Let’s hear it for Aidan!” Riley cheered.

Bertrand glowered at her. “Lady Riley, compose yourself!”

Across the room, Aidan caught her eye and winked at her. She blew him a kiss and he smiled at her in return as he stepped forward to speak. “Thank you all for being here tonight. This is an incredible honor and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. I only hope that I can serve Cordonia with the distinction that my father did.” Aidan bowed to his father and the Queen, who both embraced him.

“And now the time has come,” Queen Regina said. “Your Prince will choose his bride.”

King Constantine smiled at the crowd. “First, let us thank you all for spending the social season with us.”

“And particularly for all of the young ladies, thank you for your time. I could imagine any one of you being a fitting queen for my son.” Suddenly, a royal advisor walked up and whispered to the King and Queen. “If you’ll excuse us one moment.”

The King waved Prince Aidan over to them. The three of them conferred with the advisor. Riley heard a phone buzz. Then another. And another. One by one, people in the crowd checked their devices.

“ _Oh my!_ ”

“Oh non!”

“She _wouldn’t…_ ”

“Bertrand!” Maxwell’s jaw dropped as he stared into his phone.

“ _What?_ ” Bertrand growled. Maxwell pushed his phone at him, and his eyes widened.

“Those sick _bastards!_ ” Drake could barely hold in his rage.

“Drake… what is it?” Riley asked fearfully.

“That night Tariq attacked you… someone got photos of you and him.” He clenched the phone in his fist. “You were set up!”

“It’s all over the news!” Hana showed her a news story published only a few minutes ago. In the leading photo, Tariq reached out for Riley while she was in her underwear. The headline read ‘Prince Humiliated by Unfaithful Suitor!’

Riley’s face filled with horror as memories of that night came flooding back to her head. “But…”

Suddenly, a large group of royal guards appeared. Bastien looked solemnly at Riley, taking hold of her arm. “I’m so sorry, Lady Riley, but I’ve been ordered to escort you out… immediately. Along with the representatives from House Beaumont.”

“This is absurd!” Bertrand bellowed angrily.

“You can’t do this to Riley!” Maxwell shouted, as three guards grabbed him, Riley, and Bertrand, dragging them towards the door.

“Riley!” Hana yelled.

“Get your hands off her!” Drake roared, as he and Hana fought to reach her while members of the guard held them back. It took at least three more guards to hold him back. “Get off me!”

Across the room, Riley could see Prince Aidan searching the crowd for her face. “Where is Lady Riley?” His eyes continually scanned the crowd. “Riley!” he called out.

“Aidan!” she shouted. But in the chaos and noise of the room, it was impossible for him to hear her. She continued struggling against the guards as they brought her nearer to the palace doors.

“It’s not what they think! We need to find her immediately,” Aidan demanded.

“I’m afraid the pictures give quite a clear picture of what happened,” King Constantine said, frowning.

“You weren’t there!”

“And neither were you, my son. Certainly, you’re not just going to take her _word_ without any evidence?”

“Drake was there too! He caught Tariq attacking her.”

“Drake is your friend, and _hers_ too, isn’t he? Surely, you see where this is headed?”

Aidan glared at his father in frustration and continued to scan the crowd. “Given the circumstances, I’m sure Lady Riley has withdrawn from consideration,” Queen Regina said, looking at him expectantly.

Aidan frowned. “But… I need to speak with her.”

Riley couldn’t hear what was being said on the platform, and she watched as the Queen pulled Aidan aside, whispering to him before turning back to the crowd. Aidan’s eyes grew angry, and her heart dropped. Did he really think there was more to this?

“And now, Prince Aidan _must_ make his choice,” King Constantine announced.

“I choose…” The noise of the crowd quieted for just a split second. “…Lady Madeleine.”

Madeleine beamed proudly, making a show of putting a hand over her heart and waving delicately with the other. “I’m deeply, _deeply_ honored to accept.”

With the palace doors closing in her face, she watched as Aidan clenched his fists while Madeleine leaned in and kissed him. Riley felt sick to her stomach, and she stopped struggling, dropping her head as she allowed herself to be led out of the room. He’d made his choice. It was over.

“Put these two in holding,” Bastien ordered, as the guards pushed the protesting Bertrand and Maxwell down the hall.

Riley lifted her head, and her eyes met Maxwell’s. “This isn’t over, Riley! We’re going to make things right! I promise!” he shouted, as he was dragged away.

Her eyes never left his until they completely disappeared from view. “You.” She turned to see Bastien’s ominous expression staring down at her. “You’re going back to New York. Tonight.”

Tears of defeat slipped down her face as she looked toward the palace entrance. “How soon can I leave…?”


	20. Broken

** Chapter 20: Broken **

_She’s finding out the answers don’t change nothing at all  
It’s time that she stopped searching  
for who’s to blame or what went wrong  
The only thing for certain is he’s gone,  
she’s got to move on  
_ **_(Garth Brooks – “The Storm”)_ **

_In less than a moment, the world as I’d come to know it in the last few months had literally turned upside down. I had made close friendships, was respected by nearly an entire country, and I had the love of its future king. Then suddenly, the entire country was judging me over an unverified story without ever hearing my side. I realized certain friends weren’t who they made themselves out to be. The man who claimed to love me didn’t step forward to fight for me. Perhaps it’s best that the royal court is sending me back home. I don’t belong here. I never did. But there are certain people I know I’m going to have a hard time forgetting. How do you go back to being strangers with someone who has already seen your soul?_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I thought I’d find you two here.” Drake strode into Riley’s room, shoving the door out of his way and finding Aidan and Hana staring into her empty closet.

Hana turned to him with a devastated expression. “Drake!”

“Have you heard anything? _Please_ tell me you have some good news…”

“The security team forced her to pack her stuff and took her to the airport…” Aidan jaw was clenched tightly in anger, his hands forming into fists.

“It isn’t right,” Hana said angrily.

“I know. None of it is. They took her away and there was nothing I could do to stop it. _Dammit!_ ” Aidan slammed his fist onto the desk in the room.

“We’ve got to think clearly right now,” Drake said.

“How can you be so calm about all of this?!” Hana cried.

“Because we’ve _got_ to. For _her_.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right.”

“Yes,” Aidan agreed. “Now more than ever, we’ve got to come up with a plan.”

“I always thought something like this would happen. Believe me, I’m not happy about it. I’m just also not surprised. The royal court is a vicious place. It would’ve been a miracle for Mason to make it out of this place without getting attacked in some way or another. What matters right now is how we react. Everyone will be watching Aidan to see what he does.”

“So… what are you going to do, Aidan?” Hana looked at him worriedly.

Aidan furrowed his brows, thinking hard. “We’ve got to play this carefully. There’s too much at risk here. We don’t know who was plotting against Lady Riley, or how deep this treachery runs. Lady Olivia also left under duress earlier tonight. It’s possible that someone was working to eliminate both of them so I’d choose Madeleine.”

“So you played exactly into their plan.”

“I thought it’d be best to give them the illusion of a win.”

Drake nodded. “That’s smart.”

“I feel so helpless. I can’t even be here,” Hana said sadly. “My parents have sent for me to leave in a matter of hours.”

Aidan looked at her thoughtfully. “There’s no way around it?”

“They’re my parents. I don’t know how I could convince them to let me stay. They’d have to believe that there’s some sort of chance for advancement of my social station… or a potential marriage.”

“Leave that to me.”

“What can you do?”

“I am the King of Cordonia. I’m sure Lady Madeleine knows that if she wants to keep our engagement, she’ll have to give me something. Perhaps I can convince her to make you part of her court.”

“You’d do that for me?” Hana stared at him in surprise. “Really?”

“Of course. If… it’s what you want?” He looked at her questioningly.

“My parents would be thrilled.” She smiled. “They’d _have_ to let me return! Not only could I promise them that I’m advancing my station, but as a member of Madeleine’s court, I’d be well-positioned for a match.”

Aidan nodded. “Then it’s decided.”

“Are you sure you want to go through all that trouble for me?”

He looked down at her, smiling. “Lady Hana, you’ve proven yourself to be a true and loyal friend to us and Lady Riley. And you’ll be able to see her when I cannot. I trust you’ll look out for her.”

“Of course,” she agreed. “As much as I can.”

“And I hope I’m not being too presumptuous,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “…but I’ve come to consider you my own friend, as well.”

“I’m very pleased to hear that. I feel the same way!”

“And Drake,” Aidan said, turning to him. “I know I can count on you to help Riley.”

“Help Mason? Is that even a question? I care about her too. You know I’ll do anything I can.”

“Good. But you must be careful too. You’re known to be my best friend. If you’re seen with her too soon, it’ll only stir rumors that I’m reaching out to her through you. And that would put Riley in danger.”

Drake’s expression turned to a worried frown, though he understood it was for her safety. “So… stay away. Got it.”

“At least until she returns to court. Besides, she’ll have the Beaumonts with her. They’ll protect her. And hopefully she’ll be beyond the reach of this conspiracy.”

“Speaking of… where did they take Maxwell and Bertrand?”

Aidan exchanged looks with Drake, a determined expression crossing his face. “Let’s go find them.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“House Beaumont _demands_ you release us at once!” Bertrand insisted, standing within inches of two royal guards as they blocked the exit to the room that the brothers were being held in.

“You’ll be released as soon as we receive orders to do so,” one of the guards said just as sternly, holding a hand up in warning.

“I am the _Duke of Ramsford_! How _dare_ you hold myself and Lord Maxwell hostage in this godforsaken room!” Bertrand fumed, as the guards simply rolled their eyes and turned their backs on him. “Maxwell, will you _stop_ that preposterous stress dancing?! It’s not helping here.”

“It helps _me_ ,” Maxwell shot back, as he shuffled back and forth across the room, the memories of the night replaying over and over in his head like a runaway train. In less than a moment, he had managed to turn his world upside-down. In less than a moment, he had managed to prove everyone else right—that he was nothing but a screw-up. In less than a moment, he had managed to hurt the one person who cared to see beyond what he let what the world see. In less than a moment… he had lost her. They may never be the same after this.

“Get it together, Maxwell!” Bertrand barked, heading back over to confront the guards. “You _will_ let us out of here, or I promise you will have _much_ to answer for!”

The guards turned back to him, eyeing him crossly. “Duke Ramsford, if you don’t step back right now—”

“Let them out _now_ ,” a voice said behind them. The guards turned to see King Aidan with Drake at his side, looking sternly at them. “You have no reason to hold them.”

“Y-your Majesty,” one of them stammered as they both immediately bowed. “Forgive us, but Bastien gave us orders to hold them until—”

“I’m in charge of Bastien now, and I’m overriding his order. Let them out. I’m sure they have _important_ house matters to attend to, isn’t that right, gentlemen?” He shot Maxwell a knowing look.

“Exactly!” Maxwell piped up.

“Quite right.” Bertrand scowled. “You’ve delayed us long enough!”

“Of course, Your Majesty…” The other guard nodded, moving from the doorway, allowing for the brothers to walk through. “We’ll escort them from the palace now.”

Aidan held up his hand. “No need. Drake and I will escort them ourselves. You two are excused.” The two guards exchanged nervous glances. “…If there is a problem, you can have Bastien take if up with me personally. You have your new orders.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The guards bowed and took their leave.

Aidan looked at the two of them. “Now then. I believe you know what to do next.”

“Of course. We must stop her from getting on that plane,” Bertrand said.

“Do you think we’ll make it in time?” Maxwell asked anxiously.

“We’ll leave immediately. With our luck, we’ll make it in time.”

“A word, gentlemen…” Aidan looked at them. “We cannot have any contact once you leave this palace. It’s for her own safety. No news is good news as far as we’re concerned. However, if you do run into an emergency, contact Drake and he’ll get a message to me.”

“Of course.” Bertrand nodded.

“Her safety will be priority until we can clear her name, however long it might take. I’m hoping this mess can be cleared up as soon as possible,” Aidan said. He looked over at Maxwell meaningfully. “I’m counting on you both to take care of her.”

Maxwell forced out a smile. “We got this, Aidan.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tears attempted to force their way out of her eyes as she rode in the dark town car on the way to the airport, with a group of the King’s Guard surrounding her. She had never felt more humiliated and alone in her life, and perhaps it was only right that they send her back home to New York. She wouldn’t have to deal with all the judging faces, the backstabbing and betrayal, the consistent need to please people…

She pulled out her phone, reaching out to the only people she could trust in this moment.

**Riley:** I’m in trouble… 😥  
 **Daniel:** Riley! What’s happening out there? We’ve got the news on.  
 **Daniel:** Carl’s not taking it so well. 😕  
 **Riley:** I kind of figured he wouldn’t…  
 **Daniel:** What can we do?  
 **Riley:** I just need you both. I’m coming home.  
 **Daniel:** We’re there. We’ll take time off, whatever you need, name it! 🙌  
 **Carl:** We love you, baby sis. 😗  
 **Carl:** Sorry, I’m having to keep myself in check right now…  
 **Carl:** I really want to rip that guy apart after seeing those pictures… 🤬  
 **Riley:** I know… I’m really sorry you guys had to see that.  
 **Carl:** Really wish I’d been there.  
 **Riley:** Sorry… 😞  
 **Daniel:** Don’t be.  
 **Carl:** Yeah, don’t worry about it now. Let’s just get you back home where you’re safe.  
 **Carl:** You can crash at my place for now. Take the spare bedroom.  
 **Carl:** At least until you’re able to find a new place again.  
 **Daniel:** We’ll have drinks and your favorite New York pizza waiting for you. ☺🍕🍺  
 **Riley:** I’m so lucky to have you two. ❤  
 **Riley:** Coming up on the Cordonia Airport now…  
 **Carl:** What flight are you on?  
 **Riley:** Flight PB205, straight to New York…  
 **Riley:** I’ll text you when I land.  
 **Carl:** We’ll be there to pick you up.  
 **Daniel:** Hang in there, Riley! We love you!  
 **Riley:** I love you both. I’ll see you soon… 😘❤

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Cordonian airport was practically deserted where she sat, the silence occasionally broken with the random overhead flight announcements. Just behind her stood two palace guards as she waited for her flight to board, apparently there to make sure she got on that plane and did not return to the palace. She drew in a shaky breath, trying hard to keep the tears from falling. She would _not_ give those guards the satisfaction of returning to the palace and telling everyone how she left the country a sobbing mess.

“ _Now boarding economy class for passengers of flight PB205 to New York City…_ ” the overhead intercom loudly announced.

_That’s me…_ She sighed quietly, standing up and grabbing the bag that she had packed under the watchful eyes of the palace guards just a couple hours earlier. She glanced out the window, surveying the distant view of Cordonia beyond the small airport—a modest display of tiny dots of light flickering amidst the dark night. “Good bye, Cordonia…” she whispered. She could feel the eyes of the guards boring into her back as she slung her bag over her shoulder, digging into her pocket for her boarding pass.

“Wait! Riley!”

She paused, frozen in midstep at that unmistakable voice. She slowly turned to see Maxwell and Bertrand rushing up to her. “Maxwell? Bertrand?”

The two guards moved forward to intercept them. “Hey!” Maxwell protested, glaring at both of them.

“You will keep your hands to yourselves. I am the _Duke of Ramsford_!” Bertrand bellowed. Hearing the title, the two guards immediately backed down. “That’s better. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have business to conduct.” The two guards looked at each other uncertainly. “Or will House Beaumont have to demand recompense for yet _another_ slight?” The guards shook their heads and walked away.

Maxwell ran over to her, enveloping her into a hug without thinking. “Riley!” He felt her freeze instantly at his touch, and he dropped his arms, stepping away, not taking his eyes off of her.

“…Did you come here to scold me?” The tone in Riley’s voice sounded sad and defeated.

Maxwell looked at her with a mixture of hurt and shock. “You really think I’d do that?”

“You? No, but…” Her eyes turned toward Bertrand as she looked meaningfully at him.

“Just tell me… is it true?” Bertrand looked at her sadly. “That you’ve been carrying on a romantic relationship with Tariq?”

“Of course it’s not true!” Maxwell jumped in. “This isn’t Riley’s fault!”

“Shush.” Bertrand narrowed his eyes at him. “I want to hear this from _her_.”

“Bertrand… I have _not_ nor have I ever had anything to do with Tariq. In fact, the man repulses me.” Her eyes flitted to Maxwell briefly before casting down towards the floor. “But… I might be in love… with someone else…”

“What?” Bertrand was speechless for a moment. “…I don’t even know how to process that.”

Maxwell swallowed hard, putting on a brave face. “That does complicate things… but as long as you’re still here for House Beaumont…”

“We need you to be queen,” Bertrand insisted.

“…You wouldn’t abandon us, would you?” Maxwell held his breath as their eyes met fleetingly, silently, before she turned her gaze away again.

“Besides, if you’ve fallen for someone else at court, staying with us is your best way of seeing them again…” Bertrand added.

Riley sighed, shaking her head. “Not that it matters much anymore… _Someone_ had it out for me. The whole thing was a setup.”

“But we’re here to take you back!” Maxwell blurted out.

Riley looked up in surprise. “…What?”

Bertrand nodded with fierce determination in his eyes. “We’re going to fight this. _No one_ smears the name of House Beaumont!”

“But… what’s the point?” Riley looked at him in sad confusion. “Isn’t it over? Prince Aidan chose Madeleine…”

“ _King_ Aidan chose Madeleine…” Bertrand corrected.

Wow… even in her greatest moment of devastation, he still couldn’t hold back his courtly protocol obsession.

“…but nothing’s set in stone. There’s still a chance for you to be with him, as there’s a constitutional provision that states the king is able to change his selection in specific cases for the good of the nation. It hasn’t been invoked in a hundred years, but there is precedence. But the more important matter is that nefarious forces are plotting against you. We must resolve this scheme against you at once.”

“You’d do that for _me_?”

“ _None_ of this is your fault, Lady Riley. If anyone is to blame, it’s the court for reacting as they did and even more so the true culprits behind it. House Beaumont supports you unequivocally, and we will stand by you to the bitter end.”

“And to the sweet end too…” Maxwell said quietly, forcing a smile.

“Indeed.” Bertrand nodded in agreement. “I’m optimistic that we will prevail.” He frowned thoughtfully. “Though we do have our work cut out for us.”

Riley hesitated, clutching her bag to her. “And what work is _that_ , exactly?”

Maxwell began fidgeting with his hands nervously. “Well… we’re going to have to prepare you for the engagement tour…”

“The what?”

“Ahem.” Bertrand cleared his throat, breaking in. “The only unfortunate thing about clearing your name and figuring out what happened is that we have to follow the royal court around… And they’re currently gearing up for the King and Countess Madeleine’s royal engagement tour…”

“But it’s going to be amazing! We’re going _everywhere!_ ” Maxwell said, trying to appeal to her sense of adventure. “We’ll be seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the sea in Capri, the bamboo groves in China… it’s going to be a lot of nonstop parties and a ton of fun!” His expression turned apologetic. “…I mean, if you ignore the whole Aidan and Madeleine being together thing. But what do you say, Riley? Travel the world, clear your name, party with friends, and save Aidan and the kingdom?”

She stared intently at Maxwell, his eyes barely meeting hers in shame, as memories of the past several months flowed across her mind. Over time, she had found herself in between her feelings for two different men. One of whom was a wonderful man who had a passionate, almost poetic, sense of style when it came to professing his love for her. What they’d had was nearly a perfect relationship… if they discount the fact that they always had to hide it from the public and that she had also had romantic feelings for one of his good friends. Not that it mattered in the end, for when she needed him the most, he ended up standing by as she was humiliated and dragged away, choosing someone else that didn’t have a scandal in the public eye to be the perfect queen for him. He was just another man who thrived on reputation.

The other man stood before her, the one who had been her best friend pretty much through her whole journey in this process. It had never been a secret that the two of them were close, but that was always as far as it went. Until tonight, when he blew up the façade of their friendship by revealing he had ulterior motives for bringing her to Cordonia. However, despite what had happened tonight, despite how angry and hurt she felt by the things he had said, she still loved him. All this time, it had been _him_. All this time, she had been in love with her _best friend_. All this time, she had been trying to get him to see that, to notice, to show that he wanted it as much as she did.

No. She was done waiting. She couldn’t take it anymore.

She held her bag against her, stepping away from them. “No… I’m done with this! I’m going to go back to New York and… rebuild my life without all these games!”

Maxwell quickly stepped toward her, a look of desperation in his eyes. “I know we’re asking a lot of you…”

“But House Beaumont still needs you. And so does Cordonia,” Bertrand said. “The perpetrators will receive their comeuppance.”

“We’ll set this right, Riley…” Maxwell’s eyes pleaded with hers.

“ _Final call for economy class passengers of flight PB205 to New York City… Final call…_ ”

Her gaze was intense as it focused on his. “Maxwell, if you don’t give me one good reason to stay in Cordonia, I’m getting on this plane right now…”

He froze. “Riley, I…” Even now, he still found himself unable to say it. She was about to walk away from everything—from _him_ —and he still could not muster the words that would make her want to stay.

Bertrand stared at the scene in bewilderment. “Maxwell, what on earth…”

“It’s nothing, Bertrand…” Maxwell sighed, turning his back to her as a tear found its way down his cheek.

Riley stared for a moment as he turned his back on her, her heart breaking. Anger filled her face in the next moment as she turned, handing her pass to the attendant and disappearing through the gate. Tears stung her eyes as she made her way down to the plane. _Good-bye, Maxwell…_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hours later, Riley stepped out of the gate at JFK International, straight into the waiting arms of Carl, who hugged her tightly to him. “Welcome home, baby sis.” He rubbed her back and landed a quick kiss on the top of her head before releasing her. “Come on… let’s get out of here.”

“Riley…” Daniel grabbed her into a hug next as Carl picked up her bag. “It’s so good to see you.”

She hugged him close, taking comfort in the sense of familiarity she felt being around them again. Yes, coming home was definitely the right choice. “I’m glad I…” She trailed off as her voice choked up, and she put a hand over her eyes to stop the tears from coming out.

She felt Daniel’s arms squeeze her comfortingly. “It’s okay…” she heard him say quietly.

Carl put a hand on her shoulder. “We got you, Riley… Let’s get you home.” The three of them walked out to his car, settling in for the ride back to New York City.

“Who’s working tonight?” Riley asked, breaking the silence after a while.

“Adam’s taking over for me tonight, and Brandy’s really come into her own since she took over your full-time spot. She’s able to cover both her and Daniel’s job whenever the need arises,” Carl said, watching the road ahead.

“Wow, I remember when she dropped four platters of barbeque wings right onto her first large party.”

Carl smirked. “Not so awkward anymore. She’s got quite the attitude now.”

“I’ll bet Rick really appreciates _that_ …”

“Believe it or not, Rick’s been a lot mellower lately,” Daniel chimed in. “It’s unnatural.”

“I can imagine… How did that even happen? Did he ingest some dirty dish water or something?”

Carl chuckled. “Word around the bar is that he’s getting laid.”

“ _Him_?! That poor woman…” Riley shook her head with a small smile as the two men laughed.

Eventually they pulled up to Carl’s home, a single outdoor light greeting them at the door as they walked up. He led them through the living room and down a hallway, coming to a stop at a door. “Here it is…” He pushed open the door, looking at Riley. “It’s yours as long as you need it.”

“Thanks, Carl…” She slowly walked inside, her eyes drifting toward the window that showed the display of stars across the night sky. She moved toward it, gazing outside with a near-dazed expression. Her hand traveled to her other arm, absentmindedly fidgeting with her bracelet.

“What’s that?” Daniel looked down at it.

“Oh, it’s…” She stared at it. “…it’s nothing… Just haven’t gotten around to untying the knot from it…”

“I have an easier solution.” Carl reached into his pocket, pulling out his pocketknife, the blade quickly revealing itself with a sharp click as it locked in place. He reached for her hand, looking at her expectantly.

“ _No!_ ” She pulled her wrist away, wrapping her hand around the bracelet protectively. She caught herself, forcing her tone back. “I mean… no… it’s fine.”

“If you’re sure…” He watched as Riley nodded and then mumbled something about a little blossom. He raised an eyebrow, then looked at Daniel. Daniel shrugged. “All right.” Carl closed the knife, putting it back in his pocket and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Well, it’s been a long day for you… How about a drink to calm your nerves?”

“I think that’s the best idea ever right now.” She leaned against him, sighing as they walked out toward the living room area. She stared at the mantel above the fireplace, where Carl had a small memorial plaque hanging in honor of their families.

_Anna Mason – 4/15/1971 - 9/27/1993  
Valentina Bennett – 6/18/1970 – 2/25/1998  
Sgt. Jonathan Mason, NYPD – 12/2/1970 – 9/11/2001  
Lt. Keith Bennett, NYFD – 8/4/1968 – 9/11/2001  
Sean Brooks – 11/20/1970 – 9/11/2001  
Kayla Brooks – 3/12/1972 – 9/11/2001  
Angela Brooks – 7/16/2001 – 9/11/2001_

_Always In Our Hearts_ 🖤 _Never Forgotten_

“I should have warned you I had that there,” Carl’s voice said behind her, his hand dropping onto her shoulder. He gave it a squeeze, gently pulling her away. “Now’s not the time to rehash those kinds of memories. One thing at a time. Come on…” He gave her a sarcastic grin. “I’ll even let you drink the good stuff.”

“Now I _know_ I’m a complete train wreck.” She laughed slightly.

“Yep. Total chaos.” He reached into one of the wooden cupboards, pulling out an ornate bottle filled with whiskey. He poured each of them a short glass, passing them around, lifting his up in their direction. “To us. We’ll always have each other, no matter what happens.”

“Cheers,” Riley and Daniel echoed, taking a drink.

“Oh, Riley, I brought you something…” Daniel turned, rummaging through a bag. “I figured you’d appreciate this…” He turned back around, handing her a movie.

Carl glanced at it, then gave Daniel a derisive look. Riley held up the copy of Anastasia in her hands, a nostalgic smile coming to her face, and Carl rolled his eyes. “Damn, you _still_ never grew out of that movie, did you?”

“There is nothing wrong with that movie.”

“I remember her twirling around the home all the time, pretending she _was_ Anastasia,” Daniel laughed. “And that her small dresses were princess gowns.”

“Yeah, well you weren’t stuck with her trying to make you play Dimitri.”

“Aww, but you two were so adorable!” Daniel joked. “Come on, you remember the line! Princesses…”

“… _don’t marry kitchen boys_ ,” they all chorused in unison. Riley and Daniel fell over on the couch laughing while Carl shook his head.

“You know… another thing _I_ remember when we were kids is you getting so annoyed by it that you actually took the movie and broke it in half!” Riley said, pointing with her glass accusingly at Carl.

“How could I forget? I made you cry, and I felt so bad I saved up to get you a new one.”

“Yeah… and then you even _watched_ it with me.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “That does _not_ leave this room.” He looked at Daniel. “From _either_ of you.”

“Even better… you said it was _not that bad._ ” She giggled.

He growled. “I said that for _your_ benefit.”

“Oh, come on, Carl. Why are you so afraid to show your soft side?”

“Only _you_ get to see that.” He thought for a moment, glancing over at Daniel. “And… sometimes Dan, I guess… but only because I know his skin isn’t as tough as mine.”

“Hey!”

“Please. Your skin is as fragile as the rest of ours.” To prove her point, she poked his side a couple times.

He batted her hand away, and a playful look of warning crossed his eyes. “You’re playing with fire, Princess. I’ll take you down hard.”

“Get him, Riley!” Daniel challenged.

Riley downed the rest of her drink, considering the idea. Carl raised an eyebrow. “If you honestly think you have any chance of—hey!” He fell backwards as she jumped toward him. “Ohhhh… you’re in for it now, Princess!” He took hold of her, flipping her over onto the floor, and he straddled her waist. “Know the worst thing about growing up together? I know _all_ of your weak spots.” His hands immediately went to the sensitive areas of her sides, and she screamed, squirming wildly underneath him. “Give up yet?”

In the midst of her laughter, tears suddenly began flowing from her eyes. A moment later, her laughter began fading into sobs. Carl stopped, staring down at her in concern. “Riley? Did I hurt you?” She continued to sob uncontrollably, unable to answer him. Carl looked up at Daniel in confusion as he moved himself off of her. “Shit, I think I just broke her.”

“I don’t think you did.” Daniel moved himself down to the floor with them. “I’m sure she has a lot of pent up emotion right now. We still don’t know everything that happened to her in Cordonia yet.”

“You’re right. We don’t. And I already can’t stand that place.” Carl pulled her up, lifting her into his arms. He sat on the couch, holding her in his lap, her head leaning into his neck as she continued to cry. “Shhh… it’s going to be okay,” he whispered against her. “You’re home now. I promise we’ll help you forget that Cordonia ever existed…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“ _You have to find her, Maxwell. We can’t lose her now_ ,” Aidan’s voice pleaded in his head as Maxwell stepped onto New York territory. Definitely easier said than done. Finding Riley in this maze was truly like trying to find a needle in a haystack. If and when he actually found her, would she even want to come back? She had already made it clear at the airport that she wanted to return home. Why would she change her mind now?

He stared up at the night sky as if it would provide him an answer on where to start. The only place he could think of was the bar where she had worked before he brought her to Cordonia. At this time of night, they were most likely closed, so he would have to wait until morning. He could only hope they might know where she ended up and could lead him to her. The other option was her former roommate… although she’d indicated she really didn’t have much of a comradery with her, so that idea may be a bust.

He scrolled through his phone, smiling sadly at the grand number of pictures they had taken together over the months. Memories of an epic adventure with an amazing friend… Hopefully that would not be the last that they share. He stopped at one picture—the first selfie the two of them had taken together with Riley’s phone. Their smiles said they had nothing to worry about. They were just two friends on a new adventure, having an incredible time. He remembered how she’d tried to get Bertrand involved and how he completely snubbed her for it. He remembered that was the day they exchanged phone numbers. He remembered that was the day she discovered Grace.

Grace was not an easy secret. By now, all of his friends knew he spoke with her. Riley was the only privileged one to have seen her, thanks to her sneaking into his bedroom that one night. He loved Grace dearly and wanted to do anything he could to help her, but sometimes the weight of her secret brought him down. Secrets in general did that to him. He hated feeling like he was deceiving his friends, but at the same time, if someone asked him to keep a secret, he was going to do whatever it took to keep that secret safe. He had so many secrets, so many people in his life who’ve asked him to keep secrets for them—some little, some huge, some that may divide friendships if ever discovered.

_Ping!_

He glanced down at his phone.

**Grace:** I’ve been following the news… but I haven’t heard from you.  
 **Grace:** After hearing about Riley, I got worried.  
 **Maxwell:** It’s bad… 😔  
 **Grace:** Well, talk to me, Maxwell!  
 **Maxwell:** I screwed up again…  
 **Maxwell:** And I don’t mean like my normal screw-up. I mean, really really really big…  
 **Grace:** [Click To Download Image]

Maxwell opened up the image file to reveal a squid meme with the phrase, “Oh no you squidn’t!” A smile broke out on his face and he laughed. Of course, Grace would have to find a way to make him laugh through this.

**Maxwell:** Oh yes I squid! 😛  
 **Grace:** Are you squidding me?! 😄  
 **Maxwell:** **🤣** **  
Grace:** Okay, back to it… what happened?  
 **Maxwell:** 😥 I made a complete fool of myself.  
 **Grace:** You know, acting foolish is what makes you a loveable person, right? 🙃  
 **Maxwell:** Thanks… but this time it was in the wrong way.  
 **Maxwell:** I got into it with Drake… he kept making all these assumptions about me…  
 **Maxwell:** So to shut him up, I told him everything he wanted to hear…  
 **Maxwell:** I pretty much told him I used Riley…  
 **Grace:** Let me guess… she heard you.  
 **Maxwell:** 😥💔  
 **Grace:** Well… that’s definitely a problem…  
 **Maxwell:** Then I couldn’t even tell her at the airport how I felt…  
 **Maxwell:** So she went back to New York.  
 **Grace:** Sounds like you need to go to New York.  
 **Maxwell:** Way ahead of you. I’m sitting along the pier now, watching the Hudson.  
 **Grace:** There’s a start.  
 **Maxwell:** Even if I find her, I still don’t know where to begin… 😟  
 **Grace:** Start with you’re sorry. Every reconciliation has to start somewhere.  
 **Grace:** You two will be okay, Maxwell. I just know it.  
 **Maxwell:** I’m glad one of us does.  
 **Grace:** Hey. Where’s that blinding optimism that you always carry with you?  
 **Grace:** You need to turn that back on, pronto!  
 **Grace:** If you’re going to make things right with her, you need to believe in yourself.  
 **Maxwell:** 🙂 Thanks, Grace…  
 **Grace:** Let me know when you have an update, yes?  
 **Maxwell:** I will. Good night… 🌜⭐🌠

He put his phone back in his pocket, staring ahead of him. _I’m sorry for everything, little blossom. I never should have put you through any of this. I promise I’ll make things right…_ He looked across the water at the vast city spread intimidatingly before him as he ran his hand along his friendship bracelet. _I just have to find you first…_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Riley…” Maxwell’s voice whispered.

He was standing right in front of her, smiling warmly as he reached for her. What was he thinking? Didn’t he remember what he had done? She backed away.

“Riley…” he whispered again.

“ _Just leave me alone!_ ” she screamed. “ _Why can’t you just go away?!_ ” She fell to her knees, watching the same loving smile remain on his face as she stared back at him with pained eyes. “ _Don’t you get it?_ _I_ hate _that every time I close my eyes, I see your face. I_ hate _what you have done. And I_ hate _that no matter how I hard try…_ ” A sob escaped her throat as she covered her mouth. “ _I just can’t stop loving you…_ ”

“Riley…”

“ _No!_ ” She covered her ears, trying to block him out. “ _I’m done with you. You had your chance. I’m moving on!_ ” The echoes of her words rumbled throughout the sky as Maxwell’s image began to fade from view, his hand still reaching for her…

She slowly woke up with Carl’s arm around her, as her head rested in the crook of his neck. She looked up at his face to see him resting peacefully next to her. In this moment, she was safe, warm, and protected. Her hand absentmindedly began tracing along the tattoo markings of his arm, and he shifted slightly, bringing his arm tighter around her. Feeling bold, she moved up and tentatively kissed his neck. A slight moan rumbled in his throat, further encouraging her, as she reached her hand up to the side of his face, gently pulling him down to kiss her. He responded at her touch, his lips brushing softly over hers…

“Carl.”

He stared at the woman standing before him, taking a moment to realize who she was. His eyes went wide. “Sadie?”

She moved toward him, her eyes filled with lust as she brushed her hand along his arm, sending a shiver down his spine. “I missed you, Carl…” His arm automatically wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. She pressed her lips against his neck, drawing a moan from the depths of his throat. Her lips slowly moved their way up to his jaw, brushing against his lips, and he held onto her, kissing her back for a moment.

_Something’s not right…_ In the fog of his brain, he could feel alarm bells going off. Why was Sadie here? And why were they not talking again? Everything was a blur…

_Son of a bitch._ He shoved her off of him.

He woke up, finding _Riley_ kissing him as she held him close to her. _Oh god…_ Panic set in, as he brought his hands up, gently but firmly placing them on her shoulders. “Riley…” he said slowly. She looked at him, her eyes still darkened. “Riley, I need you to listen to me very carefully… this is not going to happen.”

“Carl, it’s okay…” she whispered, resisting.

“No. No, it’s not.” He held her back, looking her in the eye. “This is a line you and I do not cross, Riley. _Ever_. And I’m sorry if I did anything to encourage this.”

She shook her head, looking down. “No… you were asleep… but it felt like…”

“I know what it felt like. I was in a dream, Riley.” He frowned. “Sadie was there…”

Her face fell. “Oh, Carl…”

“No need to dwell on it.” He pulled her into a hug. “Now…” He looked down at her. “I know something’s eating you. And call me crazy, but I really don’t think it’s some kind of slow-burning, undying love for me.” He raised an eyebrow.

“How do you always read into these things…”

“Hey, one of us has to be thinking straight in this, right? Might as well be me.” He smirked as she smacked his shoulder. “Now you’ve stalled long enough. I want to know what happened over there.”

She sighed, beginning to tell him everything that had happened leading up to her exit from Cordonia—the romance, the lies, the betrayal, _everything_. Before she could even finish telling him everything, her face was a mess of tears, and she could not stop crying. Meanwhile, Daniel had woken up to the sound of her sobbing, and he sat on the other side of her, staring intently. Carl sat there, literally watching her break before his eyes. The tears that continued to fall from her eyes damn near gutted him. The last time she had cried this hard and with this much pain, they were only kids.

Daniel moved in to hug her from his end, and Carl wrapped her up on the other. As he held her small, shaking form within his large, protective embrace, his anger only grew. He had yet to figure out the full story behind what had really happened while Riley was in Cordonia all this time. All he knew was that she had been hurt. And until he could piece it all together, _everyone_ was the enemy. He stared ahead at the TV that had been placed on mute, now showing a report on Cordonia and flashing new pictures from the royal court, narrowing his eyes. _Even them._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You think she’ll be okay today?” Daniel wore a look of concern as he and Carl made their way over to The Spicy Apple Bar & Grill to start off the opening shifts.

“She’ll be fine. She knows how and where to reach us.”

“It’s just… after I saw her last night… and…” His voice trailed off as he focused on the ground ahead of them.

Carl looked down at him. “I know.” He clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We got our work cut out for us… but she’s going to get through this. Our Riley’s a fighter.”

Daniel silently nodded as they approached the bar. As soon as they were inside, he immediately busied himself with wiping down the tables as Carl counted the register. Suddenly he jumped, nearly dropping everything as he heard the sound of Carl’s hands slamming down on the bar counter and his voice thundering across the room. “What the _hell_ are you doing here?”

Turning around, he saw that Maxwell had quietly walked in to the bar. Conflicting emotions instantly began churning around inside him. A part of him was silently glad that at least _one_ person cared enough to chase her all the way from Cordonia back to New York. The rest of him felt the rage of betrayal and pain that he had seen in Riley’s eyes, and he wanted nothing more than for him to just leave.

Maxwell took a tentative step towards them. “I need to find Riley.”

“And we need you to leave.” Carl folded his arms across his chest, glaring at him.

“Please…” Maxwell continued to move forward. “I just want to make things right with her.”

“Is that so?” Carl eyed him warily. “You pulled her out of the only world she’s ever known to join your messed-up world. And now your world has turned itself against her when she’s done nothing to hurt it. Forget it, Beaumont. I’ve got nothing to say to you. Just stay away from her! She’s better off with the people who’ve _always_ had her back.” He turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

Maxwell looked over at Daniel, sighing. “Is that the way you feel too?”

Daniel straightened up, looking angrily at him. “ _Of course_ it’s how I feel. Cordonia _broke_ her. She left here a perfectly content and happy person and returned here in pieces. How do you think it feels to watch that happen to someone you love?”

“I know… It’s disturbing… but that’s why I need your help to find her so I can start to fix this…”

“Why should we help you? You’re the whole reason she’s even involved in all this.” Daniel stared at the table in front of him, his jaw beginning to clench. “Riley was _crying_ …”

Pain entered Maxwell’s eyes at the image in his mind, knowing he was the greater part of it. “I…”

“I watched her cry for days once,” Daniel continued, still staring ahead. “Just like she did last night.” His hand clutched tightly to the washrag as he absentmindedly wiped the same spot over and over on the table. “Riley hasn’t cried like that since the day we all lost our parents.” He looked up at Maxwell. “I think that if you were able to cause her _that_ much pain, then… she’s just better off where she is now. No… I can’t help you.” He looked away.

“Daniel, please…” Maxwell implored him. “You have to know that I do care about her. I swear I never meant to hurt her, and I meant it when I said I wanted to make things right. I can’t do that if no one will give me that chance.”

Daniel looked back at him, not saying a word, his expression conflicted. Just then, Carl emerged from the kitchen. “Are you _still_ here, Beaumont? No one’s going to help you here. Now get out—we’ve got a business to run.”

Maxwell straightened up, glaring at both of them as he walked toward the exit. “Fine, I’ll leave. But I’m not giving up on her.”

“Good for you. Good luck finding her.” Carl shut the door in his face with a cold slam as Daniel watched the scene in silence.


	21. Road To Redemption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Minor 'Rules of Engagement' spoilers if you haven't played through that story yet...

** Chapter 21: Road to Redemption **

_All those crazy things we did  
Didn’t think about it, just went with it  
You’re always there, you’re everywhere  
But right now I wish you were here  
_ **_(Avril Lavigne – “Wish You Were Here”)_ **

“I just have to know something.”

Maxwell turned his head to find Daniel had quietly slipped out of the restaurant, finding him sitting outside on a nearby bench while he had tried to figure out his next move. “What’s that?”

“Just… _why_?” Daniel looked at him, his expression wafting through a compound of emotions, including confusion, anger, and pain. “Why would you even _think_ of hurting her? What did she do to deserve that?”

Maxwell tore his gaze away from him, looking down at the ground in shame. “She _didn’t_ deserve it. And I _wasn’t_ thinking.” He looked back up at him. “I’d be doing the same thing you and Carl are doing if I were in your place right now…” He sighed heavily. “…as much as I really hate it.”

Daniel hesitated. “…So, if you get it… then why bother asking us?”

“You two are the closest people to her. I knew she would most likely turn to you. And I know it must sound completely ridiculous that I would even think of asking for your help, but just like I wanted her to know how much I want to make things right with her, it’s important you know that too.”

“Why do you care what we think?”

“Well… because you mean everything to her.” He tried to form a smile, but the heaviness in his heart still weighed him down too much. “And she means the world to me, believe it or not… so because you’re a part of her, that makes what you think of me important…”

“I can tell you what I think, but you probably won’t like it.”

“I probably deserve it.”

“Every word.”

The two men stared at the ground in silence for a moment.

“…How… how is she?”

Daniel frowned. “I’m not so sure I should be talking to you about that.”

“Okay…” Maxwell nodded slowly. “Then tell me… what can I do to convince you both to let me see her?”

“I really don’t think you can…”

“You have no idea how stubborn and annoying I can get when I want something to happen. I’d tell you ask Riley, but, well…”

Daniel finally let out a small laugh, a tiny smile of amusement forming on his face. “Okay.” His expression grew thoughtful as he stared at him for a moment. “But convincing me is not going to be your biggest problem. You saw Carl in there. There’s no one I know that’s more hard-headed once he’s made up his mind about someone.”

“I really have nothing left to lose at this point, Daniel…”

Daniel stared into the window of the bar as something caught his eye. _Carl’s going to kill me…_ He glanced over at Maxwell. “I have your ticket in.”

“I’m listening.”

“The bar’s looking for a part-time kitchen assistant. That literally puts you right in the lion’s den with Carl.”

“Are you kidding?” Maxwell looked at him incredulously. “As soon as I get in there, he’d kick me out.”

“Yeah, we’ve had that problem with previous assistants. He’s a little impatient with new people if they don’t pick things up or don’t pay attention. So, our owner, Rick, slapped on a new rule that anyone applying gets to work a full day’s shift to see how they work out. The only way you leave is if you voluntarily quit or if you majorly screw up.” He looked at him skeptically. “Of course, that’s not to say Carl may or may not make your life a living hell for the day just to force you to quit.”

Maxwell stood up. “He can try. I’ve come this far… I’m not about to quit now.”

“God, Carl is going to _kill_ me for this…”

“He’s going to kill you for what, baby?” Maxwell and Daniel turned their heads to see Brandy approaching with Adam behind her. Her eyes scanned over Maxwell, and she grinned. “Well… who’s the cutie?”

“Maxwell, meet Brandy and Adam… the rest of the team for today. Brandy, Adam… this is Maxwell, our new kitchen assistant for the day. He was a friend of Riley’s in Cordonia.”

Adam cast a knowing glance at Daniel before reaching his hand out to Maxwell. “Welcome,” he said, giving him a polite handshake. “I’ll be in the kitchen as well tonight, so you should have a slight buffer when it comes to Carl.”

“Tell us the truth now. Why does Carl have it out for you?” Brandy laughed.

Maxwell flinched, looking ashamed. “Well, long story short, I said and did some things I shouldn’t have…”

“Mm-hmm…” She stared at him with a smirk. “So you were an asshole.”

“I suppose that’s one way to—”

“Oh no, it’s either a yes or no answer on that one. And from the way things are looking, I’m hearing a resounding _yes_.” She looked at Daniel and laughed. “Now I know why Carl would want to kill you.”

“No, he’s going to want to kill me because Maxwell applying as our kitchen assistant was my idea.”

“Talk about breaking the brotherly code.” Adam shook his head, smiling in amusement. “And here I thought it was just going to be another boring Saturday night rush…”

“Well, he’s not going to know it’s your idea, because I’ll tell him it was _mine_!” Brandy threw her arm around Maxwell. “Y’all know I can’t resist these bad boys.”

Maxwell looked down at her, smiling awkwardly. “Er… thanks?”

“It’s okay, Brandy. I can handle Carl…” Daniel protested. “You don’t need to cause any trouble because of me.”

“Oh you _know_ causing trouble in the bar is _my_ thing.” She flipped her long, purple locks back and stuck a hand on her hip, quirking an eyebrow at him. “Carl can kiss my ass if he doesn’t like it.”

“And just when he was really beginning to like you…” Adam threw his head back and laughed.

“He can’t hate me forever!” She winked. “Now let’s get inside!”

The four of them walked in, Brandy wearing a mischievous grin with her arm around Maxwell, as they made their way up to the bar area where Carl stood. He glared at them. “What the hell is all this?”

“Why Carl! I just wanted to introuduce you to your new kitchen assistant for the day!” Brandy waved her arm in front of Maxwell with flourish.

“Not. Happening.” Carl growled. “Get him out of here. Now.”

“You know the rules! He gets to stay for the day!” her sing-song voice continued, further irritating Carl and entertaining the rest of the group. “I, for one, think he is a _delight_!”

“Brandy, you are so dead,” Adam muttered, hiding his amused smile behind his hand.

“Enough of these games,” Carl said, with warning in his voice. “Everyone needs to get to work, and _he_ needs to go back to where he came from.”

“Oh cut the crap, Carl,” Brandy shot back, putting her hands on her hips. “He just flew halfway across the world to right a wrong. You can put your differences aside long enough to give him a chance.”

“Brandy, you—”

“She has a point, Carl,” Daniel quietly spoke up.

Carl’s head snapped towards him, and he grabbed him by the arm, pulling him into the kitchen. “Whose side are you on here, Dan?” he whispered angrily.

Daniel sighed. “I’m on _Riley’s_ side. I always have been.” He looked toward the door. “But I also know we don’t have all the answers yet, and just… maybe…” He looked up at him.

Carl narrowed his eyes. “You think we’re going to get answers from _him_? Chances are he’ll tell us whatever we want to hear just so he can get to her. How naïve are you?”

“And… there are chances that he’ll just tell us the truth… right?”

“Unlikely.”

“Look… he took a chance even coming here. He already knew we weren’t going to be thrilled at the idea of helping him, but he came anyway because Riley is still important to him.”

“If you’re seriously going to fall for—”

“And _he_ meant something to _Riley_.”

“I know that.” Carl glanced at the door, shaking his head. “Can’t even begin to understand _why_ …”

“So, try figuring him out… let him stay. We need answers.”

“Fine…” Carl groaned, pinching his fingers at the bridge of his nose. He shoved the kitchen door back open as he and Daniel re-emerged to join the group. He studied Maxwell closely. “Well… looks like you’re pretty much dressed for work. We’ll see how long this lasts.”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Brandy cheered as Carl rolled his eyes at her. “Oh, you _love_ me. Get that look off your face.” She patted his cheek as she marched off to the back to change into her uniform.

“Welcome to the show, brother.” Adam chuckled, clapping a hand on Maxwell’s shoulder. “This is going to be one hell of a night…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley slowly opened her eyes, waking up for at least the fifteenth time that day. She’d been in and out of sleep since she stepped off that plane, and her body felt thrown out of sync with the rest of the world. Pushing herself up, she sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor for several moments. _Come on, Riley, get up…_ she mentally willed herself, finally standing up.

She trudged out to the kitchen, finding a note attached to a couple of fresh-picked lilies on the counter. She picked up the flowers, inhaling the lilies’ sweet scent, then pulled off the note and opened it up. “ _It’s Saturday Night Rush tonight. You remember how that goes. We’ll be back as soon as we can. Try to eat something today. Call us if you need anything. Love you, baby sis. —Carl_ ” She smiled to herself as she set the note down, pulling out a tea kettle and filling it with water. Once the water was boiling, she poured herself a cup of hot tea and settled onto the couch in the living room.

She stared at the remote on the coffee table, debating whether or not she really wanted to watch anything at the moment. She knew at this point the media in Cordonia was already tearing her to shreds, and yet she was morbidly curious. As she picked up the remote to turn on the news, she could already hear that voice in the back of her head warning her… _This is a mistake._

“—dy Riley and Tariq were seen together quite frequently before their affair was exposed to the public. We have more exclusive photos provided from another source,” Ana de Luca reported, the screen then flashing to scenes of Riley talking to Tariq at the hunt and country jamboree dinner. Feeling like she was going to throw up, she immediately switched to a different channel.

“Tonight on BBC, first look at the King and his new Queen-to-be before they kick off their new engagement tour,” Donnie Brine reported, switching to a shot of Aidan and Madeleine waving to a cheering crowd. “Your Majesty,” Donnie called out. “How are you feeling with your final choice?”

“I couldn’t be happier,” Aidan responded, looking down to smile at Madeleine, who held his arm tightly and returned his smile with a syrupy-sweet smile of her own. Either those cameras were expertly positioned to make it appear so, or Aidan was genuinely smiling down at Madeleine in the adoring way he used to smile at her. Riley felt sick to her stomach all over again.

_You shouldn’t have picked that remote up._ She turned off the television, sitting in silence as she gathered her thoughts, trying to push out what she had just seen and heard. _It was all a farce. None of it was real._ She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling the weight of her breaking heart as it ruptured just a little more with every passing minute. _I can’t keep doing this…_

_Ping!_ She glanced at her phone.

**Daniel:** Just checking in. How are you feeling?  
 **Riley:** Honestly? Not too good. 😥  
 **Daniel:** ☹ Need to talk? I can take a break if you need me to.  
 **Riley:** No, I’m sure Carl needs your help. I’ll be okay.  
 **Riley:** Maybe I just need to take a walk or something…  
 **Daniel:** That could be an idea.  
 **Daniel:** Maybe head over to the coffee house. Have Leslie hook you up.  
 **Riley:** Doesn’t sound so bad, I guess.  
 **Daniel:** Yeah, get some fresh air. We’ll be back home soon enough.  
 **Daniel:** Maybe we’ll make Carl watch your movie. 😈😆  
 **Riley:** He’ll murder you if he knows you said that. 🤣  
 **Daniel:** So worth it. 😅  
 **Daniel:** I should get back. Talk soon. Love you! ❤  
 **Riley:** Love you too. 💕

A long shower and a fresh change of clothes later, she placed her wallet and phone in her purse, grabbed the spare house key, and headed out towards the local coffee house a few blocks away. The chilly fall air was a welcome surge of energy as she breathed it in, wrapping her coat tighter around her. After staying in Lythikos, she really couldn’t complain much about the cold weather anymore, though she still felt a shiver sweep down her back as she hurried down the street.

The coffee shop was blissfully warm as she entered, and she inhaled the delicious aroma of fresh coffee and pastries. “Oh my goodness,” a voice called out as she reached the counter. A middle-aged, red-haired woman greeted her with a friendly smile. “Riley Mason. Where have you been?”

“Out of town…” She forced a smile back. “It’s kind of been a crazy few months.”

“I’m sure.” She poured her a steaming cup of coffee, then reached into the display case, pulling out a small plate. “Here. Just baked this morning. I know my chocolate-covered cronuts are your favorite.”

Now she was actually smiling as she accepted the small snack from her. “No one ever did make them like you do, Leslie.”

“Now go enjoy. You look like you need some liveliness in you!”

Riley found a table in the corner that allowed her a little privacy, and she sat down to enjoy her chocolate cronuts. As she bit into the sweet, savory pastry, memories of the cronut run in Cordonia came to mind. It was the first time all five of them had plotted an escape from the palace and sat down together to enjoy some time away from all of the courtly responsibilities. She stared down at her cronut as she fondly remembered how it was their first time even hearing that such an amazing pastry even existed. Although trying to make a memorable moment of eating their cronuts at the exact same time never did quite work out…

_Riley held up her cronut. “All together?”_

_“One…”  
“Two…”  
“Th—”  
“Delicious!” Everyone turned to find Maxwell already stuffing his face with the entire cronut._

_“Maxwell!” Drake scowled._

_“I regret nothing!” He leaned back in his chair as his eyes fluttered closed in sugary bliss. “Mmmmmmm… Flaky, crusty, glazed cloud of flavor…”_

_“Cheater.” Riley gave his leg a playful shove with her knee, and he gave her a proud, cheeky grin, mouth still full of cronut._

_Oh, Maxwell…_ She shook her head, sadness entering her eyes even as she tried to smile. She opened up the gallery in her phone, scrolling until she reached the photos she had taken of all of them with their next round of cronuts. There was Drake, glaring away from one end of the group as Maxwell had managed to stuff his cronut halfway inside his mouth and still break out into a massive grin around it. Meanwhile the rest of them were smiling between them, as if there _wasn’t_ a staring war between the king of grumps and the master of mischief.

She sighed heavily, not taking her eyes off the picture. She hated how she missed being in Cordonia. She hated how she missed everyone despite everything that had happened. She hated how she missed _him_ most of all.

“Riley, is that you?” a strangely familiar voice inquired, disturbing her thoughts. She glanced up to see someone standing right in front of her. “It _is_ you! Wow, you look great!” His grin was extremely cheesy.

“Trent?” She hardly recognized the dark-haired, brown-eyed man who stood in front of her table. She hadn’t seen him since they broke up in high school.

“Yeah!” He took a seat across from her. “How about that, huh?”

“So…” She paused, trying to figure out what to say. “How’ve you been?”

“Oh, you know… normal life… I got a start-up business that I’ve been working on. Had some relationship issues…”

“Oh?”

“Well, I was engaged with my long-time girlfriend, and then she ended up falling for someone else in the end. Then I was with someone else after, and that wasn’t working out, so…” He shrugged.

“I’m… sorry to hear that.” She looked down awkwardly and stirred her coffee to avoid looking at him. She wasn’t really surprised by what he said. It wasn’t like he had been the best boyfriend to her either.

“Hey…” She visibily froze as he reached out and touched her arm. He backed off. “Sorry. I was just going to say, it seems like we’re both not having the best of weeks. You maybe want to go have a drink with me later? You know, catch up?”

“I don’t know, Trent…”

“It’s just some casual conversation with an old friend.” There was that cheesy grin again. “You look like you could use a night out.”

She slowly nodded. “Okay. I guess there’s no harm in that.”

“We can meet at the Liberty Club downtown.”

“All right.”

“See you then, Riley!” He got up from the table, walking away.

Seriously? An old ex-boyfriend? How low had she sunk? What the hell did she just agree to? She put her hand to her forehead, staring down at her coffee cup. Maybe coming here was not such a good idea after all. For a moment, she thought about heading down to the Spicy Apple. Perhaps it would do her a lot better to see a more familiar, friendlier crowd. But then again, it _was_ a Saturday, and she knew they would be swamped with customers. It was probably best for her to just wait until she saw them at home.

Oh well. It was just one drink. What’s the worst that could happen at this point?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_I couldn’t be happier._

Those words couldn’t have been any more artificial and insincere. They repeated themselves in Aidan’s mind, tormenting his very being as he entered his chambers, hiding himself away from the world. It was here that the smiling and joyful husband-to-be façade immediately dropped, and the heartbroken and miserable soul returned to inhabit his expression.

He poured himself a glass of scotch, sitting out on his balcony and staring broodingly out into the night sky. It was almost surreal, knowing that in just a little over forty-eight hours, his heart had been shattered, his dreams were spirited away from him, and life as he had known it before Riley’s presence had returned to take its unwelcome place back into his existence. His heart began beating rapidly as he recalled receiving the call from Maxwell that Riley willingly got on that plane and returned to New York. Could he honestly blame her? Of course not. She had to have been humiliated beyond belief, and even he had been powerless to protect her in those few critical moments. What good was he to her if he could not protect the love of his life from the shade of the court?

A quiet knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, but he didn’t bother to answer. He continued to sit, ruminating in the silence. Moments later, he heard the door slowly open and close, with the sound of familiar footsteps approaching him from behind. He didn’t even bother inquiring. He knew who it was. “Drake.”

“Aidan.” Drake appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame as he hooked his thumbs in his pockets, looking out at the view with him. “Rough day?”

“I’m still trying to process it all…” Aidan took a sip of his drink, glancing up at Drake with his glass raised and a question in his eye. “Do you…”

Drake nodded, disappearing from the doorway and reappearing a moment later with a glass of whiskey in hand, settling down into the chair next to him. “Just how is Countess Cruella settling into her new station?”

Aidan side-glanced him, an amused smirk escaping his lips. “Countess _Cruella_?”

“You and I both know that woman’s cold enough to kill a litter of puppies with her bare hands if the outcome would benefit her. It fits.” Drake took a sip of his whiskey. “So, answer the question.”

“As you would expect,” Aidan replied, taking a drink. “She’s already got meetings, appointments, press releases, photo ops, travel arrangements, pretty much everything set up. Most of it she did herself, of course. I regret to say it, but she was the strongest contender for the crown…”

“But…”

“I know Riley would have also made a fine queen. And we both would have had a fulfilling marriage…” Aidan sighed, sadness entering his eyes again as he looked out into the distance. “But now, I’m terrified I’ll be stuck in a loveless marriage if we can’t find her again. Madeleine has no interest in building a relationship with me. She simply wanted the crown. She wants nothing to do with me outside of the public eye. She’s told me so herself.”

“They’ll find her, Aidan. It’s not over yet.”

“It’s just Maxwell over there, actually,” Aidan confirmed, taking another sip of scotch. “Bertrand stayed behind to take care of important estate matters.”

_Why is it that Bertrand is always leaving it up to Maxwell to clean up the big messes and he gets all the glory when everything is going smoothly?_ Drake resisted the urge to roll his eyes as another thought occurred to him.

_You want the_ real _truth, Drake? I_ love _her._

“You, uh… you _sure_ it was okay to send just Maxwell over there? Maybe he could use some help since Bertrand’s not of any use to him…” Drake unconsciously tapped a finger against his glass, already figuring the possible repercussions of this decision.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine, Drake. Maxwell, though very unusual in his ways, has a determined element to his character. I have no doubt he’ll use whatever resources he can to locate her. I’m just hoping there will be enough time to reverse the damage of this scandal.”

_I have one hundred percent been in love with that woman since I brought her over here, and this whole competition has been_ killing _me, trying to help her win Aidan’s hand._

Maxwell had sacrificed and hid his feelings all through the social season just so that Aidan could have her. Now that he had the chance to have her to himself in New York for a while, would he be willing to continue that sacrifice? And what of Riley and her feelings for him? They went separate ways on bad terms, but knowing the two of them, that was not going to last very long. Drake had a feeling the challenges if Riley returned to Cordonia were going to be a lot more than just finding a way to clear her good name. He raised his glass to Aidan. “Well… no news is still good news at this point, right?”

Aidan tapped his glass against Drake’s. “Right.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_I couldn’t be happier._

The sound of Aidan’s words rang in Maxwell’s ears after they listened to the report. He couldn’t imagine how painfully difficult it must have been for him to have to utter those words and smile down at that cold, unfeeling woman as if she were the most amazing thing he’d ever laid eyes on. _I’m so sorry, Aidan…_

“Will you listen to that guy?” he heard Carl mutter to Adam. “Riley’s not even gone two days and he’s already pouring it out for the next one.”

Maxwell exhaled slowly, gritting his teeth. The shift so far hadn’t started out well. He and Carl had been at each other’s throats the moment he’d stepped into the kitchen. Looked like it was not about to stop. Oh well… if he could survive Bertrand’s constant scorn, and his father’s spiteful temper before that, he could survive a day of Riley’s psycho overprotective brother, right? “Leave him out of this,” he snapped, turning to him. “You don’t know anything about him.”

“I know _enough._ ” Carl glared at him. “Hot-shot prince stringing Riley along all this time just to drop her at the first sign of trouble.”

“He would never do that! He _loves_ Riley.”

“That’s some bullshit. Where is he _now_?” Carl made a show of looking around the room before hitting his palm against his forehead. “Oh, right! Back at his palace… with his _new_ woman.”

“You don’t know the situation. Riley could have been in real danger had he chosen her.”

“Ohhh, so he chose someone else to be the sacrificial lamb then? What a gentleman…” Carl’s voice was laced with sarcasm as he threw a smirk at him before turning to check on the order he was preparing. “Funny thing though. The only one I see coming all the way from Cordonia for her is… _you_.” He turned from the stove, giving him a hard stare. “And even _that_ is questionable.”

“Trust me, he’d be here too if he could.”

“Funny how you defend him when you’re both fighting for the same thing…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Carl paused, studying his expression. “Are you playing dumb with me, Beaumont?”

“Of course not.” Maxwell kept his expression calm and neutral.

“So let me get this straight… You’re here… to find Riley… for _Aidan_?” Carl stared at him in disbelief. _Maxwell_ was the one who chased Riley back to New York and yet here he was defending the man who _claimed_ to love her, but didn’t do a damned thing about it when it counted. _Maxwell_ was the one literally working a crap job just to try to get to Riley. _Maxwell_ was the one who had practically begged people who hated his guts to help him find her. _Maxwell_ was bearing the weight, taking heat where he shouldn’t, doing all the work to win back the love of a woman, not for _him_ , but for his _friend_. What in the literal hell?!

He shook his head, narrowing his eyes on him. Not buying it. Either the man was blind as all hell or he truly relished in taking people-pleasing to a whole new level of extreme. Was this seriously the crap that Riley was dealing with all this time? No wonder she was an emotional wreck over him. Even _his_ head wanted to explode. The man didn’t need his _help_ … what he needed was a severe _reality check_!

Before Maxwell could even respond to his original question, he spoke again. “You realize this is bullshit, right, Beaumont? This has _nothing_ to do with Aidan. This is all about _you_ and Riley.”

Maxwell could feel heat rising in the back of his neck as he tried not to stutter in response. “There… there _is_ no me and Riley. We’re just fri… well not so much right now, but that’s why I needed to talk to her…”

Carl rolled his eyes. “Good god…” He turned back toward the stove, grabbing a couple plates from the side counter and piling them with food. He walked over, placing them in the window. “Brandy, table eight!” He glanced back at Maxwell. “Admit it, Beaumont. You want her more than Aidan does.”

“And _you_ never did?”

The room immediately went silent, minus the murmur of the patron conversations out front. Adam’s eyes widened and his lips mouthed the word “Okayyy” as he quickly turned his attention to the stove.

“That’s a bad line to cross, Beaumont.” Carl glowered down at him. “That’s my sister you’re talking about.”

“I’m just saying, I know you two were friends and growing up together. She’s grown up into a very beautiful woman. I can admit I think she’s attractive. So can a lot of other people I know. And yet you’re telling me you’ve never thought about it at any point?”

Carl was silent as he turned around, brandishing a huge knife. “Carl…” Adam said with warning in his voice.

Carl ignored him as he narrowed his eyes on Maxwell, lifting the knife into air, and bringing it crashing down on the counter right in front of him, not once taking his eyes off of him. Maxwell jumped back slightly at the sound of the knife banging against the counter. As he glanced down, he saw a head of lettuce perfectly sliced in two equal halves, the blade of the knife resting in between them. Then he heard a chuckle. He looked up to see Carl laughing and shaking his head in amusement.

“Table needs clearing,” Adam said, breaking the awkward tension. “How about you go out there and take care of that, and we’ll continue in here.” Maxwell nodded gratefully and slipped out of the kitchen. As soon as Maxwell was out of the room, he turned to Carl. “What the _hell_ are you doing, Carl?!”

Carl just continued laughing to himself. “Just messing with the guy. Tell me he’s not the one who wants her.”

“What if he’s telling the truth about this Aidan guy?”

“Aidan’s loss. He’s not here, is he?” He pointed out toward the dining room. “Far as I’m concerned, he’s ahead of the game.”

“So… you’re going to help him?”

“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here…”

Meanwhile, Maxwell focused on the empty table ahead of him, slowly making his way over. “Hey cutie, there you are!” Brandy waved to him from the bar. “I was wondering when Carl was going to get sick of you.” She headed towards him, following him to the table. “How bad was it?”

“He’s… insane?”

Brandy laughed out loud. “That’s our Carl. But don’t let him get to you. He’s a real big softie, even though he acts real tough. You just gotta get to know him a little better.”

“Somehow I don’t think I have _that_ much time…”

“You’ll do fine.” She bumped her fist against his shoulder. “And if he _really_ gets to be too much for you, you let me know, and I’ll come in there and give him hell for you.” She looked over at her tables, noticing someone waving at her. “Well, duty calls!”

Maxwell watched her head toward her table. On the other side of the restaurant, he could see Daniel rushing back and forth between his tables. Definitely not how it was when they had come in for Aidan’s bachelor party. It was amazing how fast time had gone and how things had changed since then.

A shout interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see an infuriated man shout something unintelligible at Brandy, followed by him throwing an empty glass in her direction. She ducked and it shattered against the bar. The angry patron then began screaming a rash of derogatory slurs towards her. “Hey, watch it!” Maxwell shouted, immediately coming to her defense. “Don’t talk that way to her!”

Brandy flashed a grin at him. “Thanks, love.” She turned back to the man, smirking at him. “But I think it’s clear we really don’t need to be wasting our air on a man whose mouth is bigger than his own dick!”

“What… I… I want to speak to your manager _right now_!” the man sputtered, red-faced.

“You’re looking at him.” Carl, having overheard the commotion, stood in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed and staring frigidly at him. The restaurant had gone eerily silent as everyone’s attention was now focused on that man’s table. “Now… mind repeating what you just called one of my best employees?”

“Wh—I…”

“No. Don’t even bother repeating that garbage in my bar. Now either apologize to Brandy and be good to my people, or get the hell out.”

“What?! I’m not apologizing to this trash!” The man lunged toward Brandy, his hands reaching toward her.

Maxwell instinctively jumped in front of her to keep him from touching her. In the same moment, Carl had rushed toward the man, grabbing his arms and locking them tightly behind him. The man yelled and winced as Carl forced him toward the door. “You’re going to leave. _Now_ ,” he growled. Soon, he was shoving him out the door. “Don’t even _think_ of coming back here!” Carl could be heard shouting, before he emerged back into the restaurant, slamming the door behind him. A moment later, the regular background noise and patron chatter resumed, as if nothing had happened.

“I knew you loved me.” Brandy grinned and winked at him as he returned toward the bar.

“Thin ice, Brandy. _Thin. Ice._ ” He pointed a warning finger at her, but his eyes betrayed him as they glowed with amusement. He then watched as Maxwell walked past him, carrying a tub full of dishes from the table he’d just cleared. He slowly followed him into the kitchen and put a firm hand on his shoulder. “Hey, Beaumont.”

Maxwell turned his head, looking up at him. “Yeah?”

“Nice work out there.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“So, you know, I really wanted her to hear my side on what I thought had gone wrong in our relationship, but she just wasn’t hearing me. She was already in her head with her new man.” Trent shook his head as he took a drink.

“Wow.” Riley slowly took a drink. For the past hour, all he could do was drone on about his past failed engagement to… she couldn’t even remember the poor woman’s name. The story was _that_ lame. Hopefully whoever she was had landed someone much better!

“So tell me how your love life has been, Riley! You haven’t said much.” He leaned toward her with interested eyes.

“Well…” She didn’t like the look in his eyes. “I’ve been seeing someone for the past few months.” It wasn’t _exactly_ a lie…

“And you’re spending your Saturday night with me instead?” Ugh, that cheesy grin again.

“He works odd hours.” She eyed him warily. “And you and I are _not_ out on a date.”

“Date? I never said _date_.” He grinned innocently. “I’m _so_ flattered, Riley.”

“Yeah…” She looked at her now-empty glass. “Well, it’s been fun, but I think I’m going to call it a night.” _And get the hell out of here!_

“Oh no, wait! Don’t go yet! The place is just starting to fill up.” Did he just _wink_ at her? “Come on… just have one more drink?”

“No thanks, Trent… I told you _one_ drink tonight, and I’ve already had two. I’m done.” Riley stood up, preparing to leave.

“Riley, come on! It’s just one more… I _promise_ that will be the last one.”

She sighed, looking at her watch and staring at him. “Fine.” She sat back down.

“What’ll it be?”

“Piña colada… _virgin._ ” She emphasized the last word, staring pointedly at him. As he walked away to get her the drink, she pulled her phone out. “ _Carl…_ ” she typed. “ _I hate to do this while you’re slammed, but I don’t feel right. Can you come and get me? I’m over at the Liberty Bar…_ ”

The watchful bartender eyed Trent as he slowly made his way back towards Riley, his hand held over her drink. He looked around the area, noticing a pair of suspicious men sitting nearby, drinks in hand, taking the occasional stares at Riley before glancing at each other and talking amongst themselves. He saw Trent look over at them nervously and they stared at him in silence. There seemed to be no doubt about it. That woman was in trouble.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell returned out to the front to clear another few tables. Though the night was starting to come to a close, the place was still pretty busy. As he finished cleaning up the last of the tables that needed to be cleared, he caught sight of a family sitting at the table next to his. They were trying to cheer up a little girl, who appeared to be having a bad day. He set his tub of dishes down behind the bar and walked over to their table, kneeling down to her level. “Hi!” He grinned. “I don’t know if you saw the sign, but this is a smile zone!”

She looked shyly at him, trying to smile.

“That’s it… you can do it.” Maxwell grinned wider. “Like this, see?”

Her mom chimed in. “She’s… a little down. It’s her birthday, but she doesn’t have any friends to celebrate with.”

“The kids at school have been cruel since her accident,” her father added, frowning. “She was badly burned.” The little girl turned her face sadly, showing massive scarring down the side of it.

“Oh, wow!” Maxwell said, not missing a beat as he studied her face thoughtfully. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

Her eyes began to tear up. “That I’m ugly?”

“Of course not! You are not only the most beautiful girl ever, _but_ you have survived an epic battle with fire demons! You sure showed them that they can’t take you down! That makes you one of the coolest princesses of them all… you are a warrior princess!” He bowed to her gracefully. “I am _so_ honored to be in your presence, Your Highness.”

The surprised smile on her face was infectious. Her parents teared up at their daughter’s reaction and smiled at Maxwell gratefully. Maxwell could hear sniffling in the background and turned his head to see Brandy wiping her eyes with a tissue.

“You know…” Maxwell turned back to her. “We just celebrated my pal Drake’s birthday not too long ago. He was kind of down too, but he ended up having lots of fun. He got into this tussle with a mechanical bull, and it was crazy!” He waved his arms around. “He was like, ‘Not even a challenge’, and the bull was like, ‘Oh yeah?!’ and started jumping around like crazy trying to throw him off.” Maxwell began jumping around the floor, slowly starting to catch the attention of other patrons, who watched him with interest. “And then Drake was like ‘Is that all you got, bull?!’ and the bull was like ‘Nope!’ and the next thing we know, Drake was being thrown off the bull. All we heard was him screaming, ‘AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh…’” Maxwell dramatically mimicked Drake being thrown off the bull and falling to the floor. He then plopped himself flat on the floor, playing dead with his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

“That’s a good look for you, Beaumont,” Carl commented, as the small crowd that had gathered nearby laughed and clapped. Meanwhile, the little girl was giggling and clapping for him, excited about all the attention.

“Now!” Maxwell sprung up from the floor, bouncing in place. “The most important thing one must do at _any_ birthday celebration is dancing!” He pulled his phone out, randomly finding a Happy Birthday remix. “What’s your name, beautiful princess?”

She gave him another shy smile. “…Jasmine.”

“Oooh, Princess Jasmine… another cool princess!” He leaned down to whisper to her. “Don’t tell her I told you, but I think you’re _way_ cooler than her!” He winked as she giggled, and he stood up, facing the gathered patrons. “Okay, you all know the birthday rules! You’ll be singing Happy Birthday as loud as you can to the amazing warrior princess Jasmine here! Here we go!” He pressed play on the remix, and everyone began clapping and singing along.

In the middle of the song, he got down on the floor and began busting out with the breakdancing moves. The little girl cried out with delight as she watched him. He smiled as he stood up and reached a hand out to her. “Your Highness… would you do me the honor of this dance?” She looked up at her parents eagerly, and they nodded for her to go ahead. She jumped down and grabbed Maxwell’s hand. He immediately began to spin her around on the floor, and she laughed out loud. At the end of the song, he lifted her high above the crowd and everyone clapped. “Yes! Happy Birthday praise to Warrior Princess Jasmine!” She waved excitedly at everyone before throwing her arms around Maxwell’s neck in a big hug.

Brandy was a huge bawling mess when he got back over to the bar. “Why are you so _adorable_?” she blubbered. “I swear you _better_ fix things with Riley or Carl will be hunting your ass down for _two_ broken hearts!” She blew her nose loudly in her tissue as Maxwell laughed and pulled her into a one-armed hug.

“Look what you started, Beaumont…” Carl rolled his eyes, though he had a hint of a smile on his face. “Now get back in the kitchen. Your work out here is done.”

As Maxwell picked up the tub of dishes he had left by the bar, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked over to find Jasmine’s father standing next to him. “Thank you,” he choked out, obviously trying to keep himself together. “She hasn’t laughed or smiled like that since the…” He swallowed hard. “Well… I just can’t thank you enough.”

Maxwell put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to thank me. Her smile was thanks enough.”

As Maxwell returned to the kitchen, Adam smirked at him, motioning his head towards the sink. “Let’s go, Rock Star! Those dishes aren’t going to wash themselves!”

“Well, of course not, sir. They don’t have any arms!” Maxwell shot back good-naturedly. He thought he heard a chuckle from behind him, but when he looked, he saw Carl, still straightfaced, standing over his stove.

Adam walked over to help him unload the dishes into the sink. “Hey, what’s that? Some kind of charm thing or something?” He gestured to the bracelet on Maxwell’s wrist.

“Friendship bracelet,” Maxwell answered, looking down at it pensively. “Riley made this one. We, um… we each made one back in Cordonia.”

“Riley made it for you, huh?” He glanced back at Carl. “You don’t say…”

Carl didn’t turn around, nor act interested in the conversation. He continued to prepare the remaining orders that were coming in.

“Yeah, the one I made for her had flower blossoms on it. Her nickname was Little Blossom…” Maxwell focused a little too much on the dishes, and he began washing the same one over and over again.

_Little blossom_ , Carl recalled, as he remembered Riley’s own bracelet and how she’d flipped out at the idea of him cutting it off. _Now it makes sense._

“Take a break, Maxwell.” Adam raised an eyebrow as he watched him wash a coffee cup for the fifth time in a row. “Get back to it after you’ve had a breather.”

Maxwell nodded, taking a seat in a nearby chair, surprised at how tired he actually felt. Carl took a seat next to him. “Still don’t know about you, Beaumont…”

“What do you want to know?”

“Heh. More than we have time for, I’m sure.” Carl was silent for a few moments. “You’re not so bad.”

“Thanks?”

“Doesn’t mean you’re excused from whatever bullshit you’ve gotten yourself into.”

Maxwell nodded, staring at the floor. “I know. I just… I know I can’t go back and erase what I did… but I want to do it right this next time… if I’m _allowed_ a next time…”

“I supposed that’s better than nothing…” Carl slowly pulled out his phone. “I guess maybe I should text Riley and see how she would feel about—” He stared at the missed text message he’d received fifteen minutes ago. “Hold that thought.” He immediately pressed the speed dial on her number, listening to the other end ring and ring… and ring. “Come on… don’t do this…” He could feel his heart pounding faster with every unanswered ring.

“ _The subscriber you are trying to reach is unavailable right now. Please try again later. If you’d like to leave a message, please do so after the tone._ ”

“ _Damn it._ ” Carl disconnected, calling her phone back, only to receive the same message again. He looked back over at Maxwell, who now stared at him questioningly. “How well would you do in a fight, Beaumont?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Liberty Bar was several blocks away from the Spicy Apple, but it seemed like less than a minute with how fast Carl drove to get there. Carl and Maxwell flashed their identification cards to the bouncer at the door, and they walked in quickly.

“Let’s split up. I’ll take this side, you take that side,” Carl said, his eyes already scanning the room.

Maxwell nodded, quickly moving toward the right side of the room. Moments later, something on the floor caught his eye. He bent down to pick it up, finding it was one of Riley’s hair blossom clips. He looked back toward where Carl was, waving when he saw Carl meet his eyes.

“What is it?”

“Found this on the floor. This is her hair clip. I’d recognize it anywhere.”

Carl narrowed his eyes and looked back toward the bar. “Hold on.” He walked over to the bar, speaking with the bartender for a few minutes, and then returned back over to Maxwell. “He saw her. She was sitting with some scumbag while two other scumbags were watching nearby. Bartender says he called the police, but they haven’t gotten here yet…” He shook his head. “This is where we take matters in our own hands if something goes wrong, Beaumont…” He motioned towards a back door with his head. “He said they just went out back not a few minutes ago.”

“Then let’s go.” Maxwell strode towards the door immediately.

“Whoa, hold on there.” He held him back. “We have to open that door carefully. If they’re armed, we’re no good to Riley injured or dead.” He walked toward the door, hearing voices on the other side. He slowly opened it, noticing it led out into a back alley. He cracked it open further, enough to see Trent holding a very limp Riley up and two men dressed up like assassins. He moved his hand to his back pocket, closing his fist around his pocketknife. “One of them is not very dangerous, I’ll tell you that much. The other two are dressed like assassins, so they could very well be armed. Just stick behind me. I can take them both out…”

Maxwell’s eyes widened. “Just be careful.”

Carl’s eyes narrowed. “ _No one_ fucks with my family.”

The two of them burst through the door, startling the three men. Trent dropped Riley to the ground, cowering in fear, and Maxwell immediately went to check on her. The other two men stood to face Carl, and then one of them paused, doing a double take. He took a step back, pulling his partner with him. “Abort this. _Now._ ”

Carl paused as he heard the man’s voice. He _knew_ that voice. He just couldn’t place it. His hesitation gave the two men the time they needed to jump into a dark vehicle that was parked behind them and speed off into the night. “ _Son of a b…_ ” he muttered, enraged at himself for pausing and still bewildered by the familiar voice. Who the hell did he know that would even _think_ of trying to kidnap Riley?

His thoughts were interrupted by Trent’s squealing and Maxwell’s shouts. He turned to see Maxwell towering angrily over Trent, ready to strike. He’d seen Maxwell get riled up, but he’d never actually seen the man so enraged. _What the hell did I just miss?_

“She’s just a little drunk, that’s all,” Trent protested, right before Maxwell’s fist powerfully connected with his jaw, nearly breaking the bone.

“Jesus, Beaumont…” Carl looked at him with wide eyes, holding him back. “That’s a bit intense for getting her drunk.”

“She’s not drunk, Carl—she’s been _drugged_!” Maxwell’s eyes were on fire.

That was it. Carl’s hand closed around Trent’s throat as he shoved him against the wall. He rested the blade of his knife against his neck. “You realize how _easy_ it is for people like you to disappear in New York, Trent?” he growled as Trent whimpered beneath his hand. “I can make it so no one would ever find you _again_.” He shoved him to the ground. “Who were those men?!”

Trent held his hands up. “I don’t know… please…”

“You’re telling me you have _no_ idea who you were about to sell my sister off to?”

“I-I d-don’t know their names,” Trent cried, “I swear! I just know they’re part of some weird group. Sons of something… I didn’t get it. I just know they were _really_ interested in Riley.” He sobbed, falling on his knees like a child. “That’s all I know. I swear…”

Carl grabbed him by the collar, pulling him up and putting the knife against his throat once more. “You can go. But if _anything_ … and I mean _anything_ happens to Riley, it’ll be _you_ I hunt down first. And I will disembowel every last inch of you.”

Trent nodded his head quickly in agreement and took off running as fast as his short little legs could carry him. Carl growled again, putting his knife away, and looked toward Maxwell, who was holding Riley against him. Maxwell looked up at him. “Paramedics are on the way. I don’t know how much he gave her, but she’s hallucinating pretty good, and she’s got a pretty bad bump on the head. I figure that’s from when he dropped her.”

Carl knelt down next to her, rubbing a hand over her head, wincing as he felt the hard knot at the back of her head. “Yeah, that’s a bad one alright…” He sighed, shaking his head. “Thank god she knew to send me that text. I don’t know what would have happened if…” He trailed off, looking away.

Maxwell put a hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have to think about that now. We got her.”

“Máximo?” Riley reached for his face.

“What did she just call you?” Carl gave him an amused smirk.

“Don’t ask me where _that_ came from!”

“Hay un hipopótamo morado bailando en tu ropa interior.”

“Um, thank you?” Maxwell looked at her, confused. “Or do I just say gracias?”

Carl chuckled. “My Spanish is as good as yours. I have no idea what she’s saying. Hell, I didn’t even know she _spoke_ Spanish.”

“Me either. Well, I can tell there was something in there about a hippo, and maybe dancing…”

“Shhh… está bailando,” she whispered loudly, looking in awe at absolutely nothing behind him.

“Yeah, definitely dancing.” Maxwell wanted to laugh, but at the same time, he couldn’t, knowing the circumstances. If she was saying all this just to be funny, it would be different. But someone did this to her against her will, and it really just took the humor away from it all.

She looked at Carl and her eyes widened as she pointed past him. “¡Está hacienda flexiones detrás de ti!”

Carl raised an eyebrow at her. “So… she’s hallucinating in _Spanish_?”

“She did it in English while you were busy with Trent.”

She looked back at Maxwell with the same wide-eyed expression, leaning towards him and murmuring, “Tiene un calamar por sombrero…”

“She definitely said something about a squid in a sombrero.”

“How would you know that?”

“Ask her once she’s out of this. I’m a squid person. I know the word squid in at least ten different languages.”

“Heh.” Carl rolled his eyes as the alley lit up with blue and red lights. “Paramedics are here. I’ll lead them over.”

Maxwell looked down at Riley, who stared back at him without recognition in her eyes. “We got you, little blossom,” he said softly, brushing the hair from her eyes. “Everything’s going to be okay…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“We’re going to run a few more tests, and she’ll be going down for an MRI. We’ll have her for at least an hour or so, and then we’ll return her to the room.”

Carl nodded. “Thank you, doctor.” He turned toward Maxwell and Daniel, who had joined them shortly after they’d arrived at the emergency room. “We should probably get some air.” He glanced at Daniel, who was looking completely miserable. “Maybe visit the pools.” Daniel looked up, his eyes glistening as he said nothing.

The three of them began their walk. Maxwell fell in stride with Daniel, and he looked down at him. “How are you holding up?

“Not good,” he answered quietly. “I feel like this is all my fault.”

Maxwell looked at him in surprise. “Why would you even think that?”

Daniel looked at him, his eyes shining sadly. “I’m the one who told her it would be good for her to go out and get some air. She never would have run into Trent if I hadn’t suggested the—”

Maxwell shook his head, interrupting him. “It sounded like these guys were really after her. I have a feeling Trent was following her for them. So it doesn’t matter where she would have gone. She would have _bumped_ into him anyway.”

“Maybe she would have been better off at home then…” Daniel frowned.

“We don’t know that either.” He put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up over this. No one could have known this was going to happen.”

The three of them soon arrived at their intended destination. Maxwell stared at the pool ahead of him, surrounded by a border engraved with name after name along the entire surface. Some places had a picture attached. Others had a flower laying nearby. Carl stood at one end, while Daniel walked to the other. It was almost chilling. He had seen this event happen on the news so many years ago as a kid, and now he was actually standing on the grounds of where it had happened.

_Riley hasn’t cried like that since the day we all lost our parents_ , Daniel’s words echoed back into his mind. It all suddenly clicked how these three were so connected. Why Riley never wanted to talk about how her father died. While the world had moved on, having gone through more tragedies and other significant events since, this event still continued to affect _them_. He slowly walked over to Carl’s side, staring into the pool with him in companionable silence.

“You have questions, I’m sure,” Carl finally said, breaking the silence, still looking into the pool.

“I do.” Maxwell nodded. “But I wasn’t going to ask. If it’s hard for Riley, I can imagine it’s just as hard on the both of you.”

“You guess correct.” Carl nodded back. “Gotta have something a little stronger for this conversation if I’m going to have it though.” He reached into his jacket, pulling out a flask. He took a large swig from it and stared ahead. “Our dads were close—mine and Riley’s, that is. They were always getting together for a few drinks, shop talk, that sort of thing… at least whenever they could. Her dad was NYPD and mine was NYFD, so their schedules were insane. That’s how Riley and I grew up with each other at first. Then…” He paused, taking another small swig from his flask, his eyes darkening.

Maxwell recognized the look in his eyes as nearly the same one he saw in Riley’s at the treehouse during the Masquerade Ball. “… _This_ happened…”

He nodded slowly. “Her dad was in the North Tower, mine was in the South, both trying to help get as many people out as possible.” He turned to look in the direction of the other pool, several feet away from the other. “South Tower went down first.”

Maxwell cast his eyes down, staying silent.

“We didn’t know what was happening. The two of us were in school, and the next thing we knew, everyone was being herded into the auditorium. No one was allowed to leave until their parents came to pick them up, and well… by the end of the day, a good third of us were still waiting.” He shook his head. “She held onto me so tight that I probably couldn’t have removed her if I tried, but trust me, I wasn’t about to let anyone separate us.”

He took a long drink. “We eventually got placed in a foster group home, and that’s where we met Dan.” He motioned his head toward Daniel, who stood across the way from them at the pool, his head down as he stared into the water. “He’d lost _both_ his parents… and a baby sister. His father was a major business partner on one of the top floors of the North Tower, and his mom was visiting with the new baby to show off the newest member of their family. They never had a chance.” He took another small swig, staring ahead in silence.

“I’m so sorry for everything you all have lost,” Maxwell said, looking back at him. “But I get now why you’re so protective of her.”

“Damned right. That day took pretty much my whole life away from me. She’s all I had left when that day was over.” He turned his head sharply towards him. “So if you plan on taking her back to that country of yours, it’d better be for _her_ , not to profit someone else.”

Daniel walked over to the two of them. “Hey… I’m going to go ahead and head back to the hospital, just so that someone’s there when they bring her back to the room.”

Carl clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll be along in a bit.” Daniel nodded and headed down the street.

Maxwell looked over at Carl. “…Everything I’ve done has been for her.”

“Really? Because last I checked, you took her there because your friend had stars in his eyes over her and your house needed the popularity points if she won that competition. By the way, how did that work out for everyone?” He gave him a sarcastic look.

Maxwell could feel the anger rising in his chest. “Hey, she loved it there, and I’ve always had her back through that competition. And it was never just for Aidan, it was for her too. She loves him.”

“Does she now?” he asked cynically, more of a statement than a question, his eyebrow raised.

“Of course she does. If that press incident hadn’t happened at the Coronation, they’d be engaged by now.”

“Doesn’t prove a damned thing.” Carl shook his head. “It’s unbelievable how blind you are.” He exhaled slowly and gave him a critical look. “Answer me this, Beaumont… Why are you trying so hard to put her and Aidan back together when you care about her just as much? And before you try to bullshit me again, it’s written all over your damned face. _Why_ is Aidan so much more important than you?”

“He isn’t, in that regard… It’s just that…” He sighed, looking into the pool.

“Just what?”

“I can’t…”

“It’s just you and me right now, Beaumont. You can be straight with me. You know I won’t beat around the bush with you.”

Maxwell nodded. “Yes, I care about her… actually I…” He trailed off.

“I’ve got all night, Beaumont.”

“…I think I’m in love with her,” he admitted quietly.

Carl stared at him for a long moment. “I know.” He took another sip from his flask.

“You know?”

“Not that hard to figure out. Now the question is… why have you not—”

“Because… because… what I want is different than what she wants,” he blurted out.

“And what exactly is it that you think she wants?”

“She wants to be with Aidan, and he wants to be with her. I intend to help them be together again.”

Carl opened his mouth to speak, then paused as he looked intently at him, considering his words. “Okay,” he finally said. _Blind. This man is blind as all hell._

The two of them stood in silence for several moments.

“So let me ask you something… how far are you wanting to take this?”

“Well, I’m here to help her do whatever it takes to clear h…”

“Yeah, yeah, clear her name, restore her reputation, so on, so forth… That’s not what I meant. Whether you do or you don’t… where are you going from there?” He waited for a moment, then narrowed his eyes at Maxwell’s silence. “Is Riley going to get hurt here?”

It was one hell of a loaded question. And he knew it. The man didn’t play games. He somehow knew what to ask and how to get the answers he was looking for. Maxwell carefully chose his answer before responding. “I would never, _ever_ hurt Riley. Never again.”

That seemed to be the answer he had been looking for all along. He finally nodded and took a drink. “Good.” _I guess that’s a start._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Riley?”

She stirred in her sleep slightly. A moment later, she felt a hand slowly brush across her arm softly.

“Riley?”

Her eyes fluttered open, wincing immediately at the bright lights in the room. “Mmm… lights…” she murmured irritably. The lights gradually grew dimmer, and she was able to open her eyes slowly. Her head was killing her, and she felt dizzy. She tried to remember where she was as she stared at an unfamiliar lamp above her.

Daniel’s face was next to appear in her view. “Hey… how are you feeling?”

“…Awful.” She groaned against her pillow. “Like my head got run over by a truck…” She put a hand to her forehead, pressing hard against it, the pressure of her hand giving a slight relief to the throbbing discomfort that swept across her entire cranial region.

“She’s awake?” Carl’s voice was quiet as he entered the room.

“Carl?” She turned her head weakly to face him. “Where am I? Why am I…” She stared down at her arm, which now had an IV tube attached to it. Her expression went from confusion to panic. “What is this?!”

“Shh, it’s okay… You’re in a hospital, Riley. Everything’s going to be okay,” Daniel said, sitting down next to her, taking her hand and squeezing it comfortingly.

“But _why_? Why am I here? What happened?” She put her hand to her head again, trying hard to recall everything. “I was just at the…”

“Riley…” Carl said as gently as he could, placing a hand on her cheek. “Don’t try to remember. It won’t do any good.”

Fear entered her eyes as realization sunk in. “Oh my god…” she said, her breath becoming quicker. “Was I… did he…?” Tears immediately sprung to her eyes.

“No. We got to you before anything worse happened.” Carl’s expression darkened. “And trust me, he got what was coming to him.”

Her entire body began to tremble, and she struggled not to start crying again. “What is _wrong_ with me? Is that all men want me for?”

Carl raised an eyebrow as he glanced between Daniel and himself. “Watch it…”

“You know what I mean…” She sniffled as Daniel leaned down and hugged her.

“And I’m only excusing it because I know you’ve been dragged through hell and back.” Carl smirked at her, patting the blankets over her legs. “You’re better than that, baby sis, and you know it. All this bullshit is messing with your head, and instead of focusing on you, you’re trying to distract yourself. That might be okay as a temporary fix, but you might want to stop gravitating towards assholes first.” A sarcastic smile briefly crossed his face. Then a touch of worry finally broke through his normally tough expression. “I don’t think either of us could handle losing you.”

“Don’t even say that,” Daniel said, shaking his head, looking away.

Riley slowly reached for them both, and Carl was the first to pull her in close to him. “You have no idea how scared I was when I saw you lying there,” he muttered against her.

Daniel leaned in and she grabbed ahold of him. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” she said quietly. “I didn’t know…”

“Don’t you dare apologize… I wasn’t looking for an apology.” Carl moved back, looking at her sternly. “ _This_ is not your fault.”

She nodded. “Sor—I mean… okay.” She fell back against her pillows, grimacing in pain. “How long do I have to be here?”

“They just wanted to keep you here overnight… make sure it’s all out of your system and that you don’t get any of the critical side effects,” Daniel explained, holding her hand again. “That and they’re monitoring that bump on your head… hopefully you don’t have a concussion.”

She sighed, staring back down at the IV needle in her hand, then let her gaze drift around until it settled on a familiar object sitting on her side table. “…Wait… what’s that?”

Carl glanced at it and handed it over to her. “You had a visitor today.”

She stared into the big bubbly eyes of a very familiar stuffed baby squid. “Maxwell…” Conflicting emotions immediately filled her face. “He’s… he’s _here_?”

“To, um… to his credit… he’s the one that figured out you were drugged,” Carl admitted, laying his arm across her legs. “I was busy trying to deal with the assholes that went after you. You would have been a lot sicker had he not called attention to it.”

She continued staring at the squid. “…I can’t believe he came all this way.” She shook her head, setting the squid aside. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“But, Riley…” Daniel started.

Carl silenced him with a look, and then looked thoughtfully at Riley. “He doesn’t mean a thing to you anymore, huh?”

She shook her head, staring at her blankets. “Nothing.”

He grabbed ahold of her wrist. “Then isn’t it about time we cut this damned bracelet off?” He watched as her gaze immediately snapped down towards it. “Yeah. I know it’s from him… _little blossom._ ”

“Carl!” Daniel glared at him. “Stop!”

“What? She said so herself. He means nothing.”

“Are you _trying_ to be a dick, Carl?!”

“S… stop…” she said quietly, pulling her arm back.

Carl released her, giving her a meaningful look. “Riley, you don’t have to hide that he means something to you somewhere inside. We’re mad with you at what’s happened, but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to feel mixed up about him.” He picked up the baby squid and handed it to her again. “And whenever you’re ready…” He picked up a note that was sitting on the table next to where the baby squid was. “…he had something to say.”

“Why couldn’t he just come here and say it himself?” She stared at the folded note, feeling both sad and bitter.

“Well, with all that’s happened right now, he felt that it was better you woke up among people you trust. And he knew right now you don’t exactly trust him. He wanted to give you some space first.”

“Oh…” She nodded slowly. “Yeah… that was probably a good idea…”

“Well… we’re going to go grab a drink down in the cafeteria. Can we get you anything?” Daniel asked, standing up.

“No, thanks… I think I may fall asleep again pretty soon actually.”

“Good. You need your rest. It’s been a long night.” Carl stood up, squeezing her hand and kissing the top of her head. He paused, his hand running along the edge of her bracelet. “You know I never would have cut that off, right?”

“I know.” She grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “But you’re still a pain in the ass.”

“Good.” He smiled down at her. “We’ll be back in a bit.” He and Daniel left the room.

She looked down at the note in her hands, slowly unfolding it, and began to read…

_Hi Little Blossom,_

_I know I’m probably the last person you want to hear from with everything going on around you. But I just wanted to know that you were safe. I’m sure you recognize the friend I’m leaving you with. During the worst time of my life, that’s when he came into the picture for me. Once my mom had died, he was pretty much one of the biggest reminders of her that I had. I called him Sid. No one ever knew this, and maybe it sounds silly, but it stood for Spirit In Disguise… you know, like my own tiny guardian angel. I figure you could use one right about now, with all the bad things going on around you. Be good to him. I know you know how much he means to me, but right now, I know you probably need a little buddy like him more than I do in this moment._

_Love, Maxwell_

_Sid the Squid_. She smiled as she set the note down and looked at the baby squid. “Well, Sid… I guess it’s you and me now.” She laughed softly, then winced as the laughter caused throbbing pressure in her head. She bit her lip, staring at her phone contemplatively as it sat charging on the side table next to her. She reached for it a moment later.

**Riley:** Thanks for Sid. I promise I’ll take good care of him for you. 🦑  
 **Maxwell:** I’m glad. And don’t worry… he’ll take good care of you back.

Long pause…

**Riley:** Hey… thanks for helping Carl and Daniel when I was…  
 **Riley:** Well, you know, I guess…  
 **Maxwell:** No trouble at all.

Another long pause.

**Maxwell:** How are you feeling?  
 **Riley:** Exhausted… dizzy… splitting headache… but I hope that goes away soon… right?  
 **Maxwell:** It will. It’s just a nasty drug, and he gave you a good dose from what I saw.  
 **Riley:** What _did_ you see…  
 **Maxwell:** It’s not important right now…  
 **Riley:** That bad? 😕  
 **Maxwell:** I wouldn’t worry so much about it.  
 **Riley:** Do I even want to know how you know so much about this stuff?  
 **Maxwell:** Well, you already know I partied a lot… I met a lot of good people.  
 **Maxwell:** But I also met a few bad ones.  
 **Riley:** Did they drug you too? 😕  
 **Maxwell:** No. But I knew people who were.  
 **Maxwell:** It’s been something I’ve watched out for ever since…  
 **Maxwell:** So I could try to stop it from happening, you know?

Annnnd another long pause…

**Maxwell:** Maybe you and I can talk sometime… whenever you’re up to it, that is.  
 **Maxwell:** There’s just things I want to say, but it’s bad form to text them instead of in person.  
 **Riley:** “Bad form”? Did I accidentally text Bertrand? 😉  
 **Maxwell:** Oh dear god. 😄 I think it’s time we both got some rest. You especially.  
 **Maxwell:** I really hope you’re okay.  
 **Riley:** I am… for the most part.  
 **Maxwell:** That’s good.

Long pause once again.

**Maxwell:** Well… good night, Riley.  
 **Riley:** Good night, Maxwell.

She stared at the phone for a moment.

**Riley:** Maxwell?  
 **Maxwell:** Yes, Riley?  
 **Riley:** When I get out of here… let’s talk.  
 **Maxwell:** I’d like that.  
 **Riley:** Me too. Good night.  
 **Maxwell:** Good night, little blossom.

She smiled partially, despite the emotion building up behind her eyes. Yes, she was still reeling from the events in Cordonia, and his particular part in it all still stung. But there was one thing she had to admit about him… even in the biggest disasters, he was always determined to make sure things went right. Now he was here in New York, all the way from his home, even though he had turned away from her in Cordonia. That had to count for something, right? She looked down at Sid, who stared back at her in return with his adorably large bubbly eyes. Maybe? She laid back against her pillows and nuzzled the tiny squid against her cheek, taking in the faint, but very familiar and comforting, scent of Maxwell’s cologne as she slowly drifted back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was playing through ROE again and I thought of what a scumbag the MC's ex really was. Technically TRR2 was a year after the ROE series (minus the 4th book) ended, and we never did see what happened to him after he and the MC parted ways... so this was a random look, considering how sometimes PB loves to insert random characters from other books into their stories. ;)
> 
> The other joke, was of course, the Spanish, for anyone who's noticed the latest TRR in Spanish on the Choices app. That was my subtle tribute.


	22. Family Secrets

** Chapter 22: Family Secrets **

_Memories… they all lead up to this one day  
And many dreams lost along the way  
Haunt me still  
I guess they always will  
When love was too much to bear  
I just left it there  
_ **_(Celine Dion – “Only One Road”)_ **

“Back for more?” Adam smirked as Maxwell quietly entered the kitchen. “I think you might have just set a new record there, Rock Star. You’re the first to make it to a second day.”

“Yeah, well… I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.” Maxwell returned the smirk with an amused smile of his own. “He’s really that bullheaded, is he?”

Adam chuckled. “I’d call him an acquired taste. He’s not so bad, as you’ve found out… but most don’t stick around long enough to get to know the guy.” A troubled expression crossed his face. “Hey… so how’s Riley doing?”

“She’s okay. They were just about to release her when I left. Carl’s taking her home.”

“What all happened out there anyway?” Adam stared warily at the fresh bruising that had formed along Maxwell’s knuckles. “Carl didn’t say much… just said something happened at the Liberty Bar. Dan was pretty upset when he got the call…”

Maxwell followed his gaze, then looked back over to him. “She was out with some guy, and he drugged her. Pretty heavy stuff. I might have lost it a little.”

“Good.” His eyes were filled with anger, but a slight smile of approval crossed his lips. “I’m assuming Carl handled it in the only way Carl could…”

“You mean almost killing the guy?”

“Almost? Wow, he got off easy.”

“I’m not so sure I want to know…” Maxwell yawned, shaking his head. “Anyway, sorry we left you all hanging for the rest of the night. I know how busy—”

Adam held up his hand, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t worry so much. Brandy and I have taken this place on by ourselves here and there when it was needed. Carl and Daniel have done the same. Family comes first around here…” He clapped him on the shoulder, then paused to study his face. “You look exhausted, kid. Did you sleep at all last night?”

“Well… between getting here, trying to find Riley and ending up here… and then the hospital ordeal… yeah, just haven’t had a moment to do that yet.” Maxwell stifled another giant yawn behind his hand. “I’ll find a hotel somewhere this afternoon, now that things have finally settled.”

Adam looked at him, concerned. “So how much sleep are you running on exactly?”

“Couple hours maybe. I was able to grab a few in the hospital waiting room while we were there with…” Maxwell paused as he glanced at Adam’s worried look. “Trust me, I’m used to sleepless nights. Should have seen me during Riley’s competition. I practically lived on caffeine.”

“All right then…” Adam grabbed the few orders Brandy had passed through the window for him, studying them thoughtfully before looking back up at Maxwell. “Well, since you’ve made it to Day Two, guess we can officially call you a member of the staff. You need to sign a few things in the office.” He motioned with his hand for Maxwell to follow him, leading him to a small office that held a desk, water and coffee machines, and even a small couch.

“Nice office…?”

“Sort of the office-slash-breakroom, really… although when Rick’s in town, people tend to avoid this place.” He reached into a file drawer in the desk, pulling out a couple forms. “Just fill these out to make yourself official around here. I’ll be back to sign my part in a bit.”

“Sure.” Maxwell made himself comfortable on the couch, starting to fill them out. Exhaustion was taking over, and the feeling intensified as his body relaxed against the cushions. Within moments, the papers scattered to the floor as his head dropped, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.

Adam looked through the office door window a moment later. “Heh. Knew it.” He smiled to himself as he quietly opened the door, shutting the lights off, and then returned to cooking orders.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hours later, Daniel showed up for the later shift, also suppressing a massive yawn as he walked into the kitchen. “Good lord, did _any_ of you get any sleep last night?” Adam stared at him from the stove.

“It was a long night…”

“But she’s okay…”

“She’s okay _now_. But last night…” Daniel sighed, rubbing his forehead anxiously. “God, I really wish I hadn’t suggested she go out.”

Adam filled a few plates, loading them onto the waiting area for Brandy, and turned back to him. “Dan… what were you guys going to do? Keep her wrapped in bubble wrap for the rest of her life? None of this was anyone’s fault.”

“I know… I just can’t help feeling that—”

“Hey, you couldn’t have predicted this any more than she could have. It’s done.” He put a firm, comforting hand on his shoulder. “But you know what? She’ll move on. She’ll be fine. And she’s got good people to lean on if she needs it.”

Daniel finally relaxed. “Thanks, Adam.”

“No problem, my friend. That’s what we’re all here for.”

“I think I’ll just make some coffee before I get started. We still got some of the premium stuff in the office, right?”

“Wait, don’t go in there.”

Daniel jumped back from the door, his voice lowering considerably down to almost a whisper. “ _Shit, is Rick back already?!_ ”

Adam laughed, shaking his head. “Maxwell’s in there sleeping.” Daniel gave him a questioning look. “Kid was a walking zombie. He’s barely slept in the past two days… was going to go for Day Three if I hadn’t intervened. Figured it was the least I could do.”

“Two _days_? How was he even functioning?”

“You got me. I’m an old man in a young guy’s body… I need my daily ten hours of sleep or you won’t like being around me so much.”

“All right… I can do without the coffee for a while.”

“So naturally, I’m curious…” Adam grabbed a fresh pepper, quickly dicing it before moving his gaze back up to Daniel. “What _did_ he do anyway? What was Riley’s story when she got back? There was plenty of hate in Carl’s eyes when Brandy escorted him in yesterday, so I’m guessing it’s pretty bad.”

“Still don’t know everything…” Daniel frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Every time she tried to talk to us, she ended up crying.”

“Heartbreaker, huh?”

“Maybe… we don’t exactly have _his_ side either. Not that it matters to Carl…”

“Does it matter to you?”

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. “I just want to know what’s going on. No one’s been talking since they got here really. If I have to hear pieces from both sides, I’m willing to hear it so I can at least get some sense of it.”

“You were always the sensible one between the two of you, Dan.” Adam gave a slight grin. “Everyone knows how Carl is.”

“You mean him never giving a f—” Daniel paused as he heard the office door open behind him, revealing a much more refreshed-looking Maxwell. “Good morning!”

“How you feeling there, Rock Star?”

“Better.” Maxwell looked at him apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean t—”

“You _really_ think I took you in there just to fill out paperwork?” Adam shook his head, grinning. “You don’t seem like the type to ask for help, but you sure needed it right then. I wasn’t about to leave you hanging.”

He looked at him in surprise. “…Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Adam grabbed a tomato, slicing it up. “Why don’t you just take the night off? Get yourself together. We got everything handled here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s no big deal. It’s better you get some rest first before getting back to work.”

Maxwell pulled out his phone, typing something in. “Shouldn’t be too hard to find a hotel nearby then…”

“Why don’t you just stay at my place?” Daniel slowly interjected, receiving a stunned look from Maxwell and a sarcastic smirk from Adam. “It’s close to both here and Carl’s place, where Riley’s staying.”

“Are you sure I wouldn’t be imposing?” Maxwell looked at him, unsure. “It’s really no problem for me to find somewhere…”

“You wouldn’t. But it’s up to you.” Daniel shrugged.

“Thanks, Daniel. I really appreciate it.” Maxwell returned to the office to clean up the paperwork that was still on the floor.

Adam side-glanced Daniel. “You really think that’s a good idea, Dan?”

“I’m just trying to help.”

“You know what I mean.” Adam raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s all fine and good when you’re at work, but at home…”

“I can handle myself just fine.”

“Just warning you, that’s all…” He walked over to him, lowering his voice to a discreet whisper. “I’ve seen you _looking_ at him, Dan. Just be careful, okay? We all know you here, but he doesn’t.” Adam gave him a concerned look and then stared into the dining room, motioning for Daniel to look. “Hey… is that who I think it is?”

“Wow… what is _she_ doing here?”

“Carl’s not coming in today, is he?”

“No, he’s staying with Riley tonight,” Daniel said, right as Brandy walked through the kitchen door.

“Why are you…” She stopped, narrowing her eyes and putting a hand on her hip as she observed them watching through the window. “I _knew_ it!”

Adam shook a warning finger at her. “Leave her be, Brandy. _No one_ gets involved…”

“Honey, it’ll take me two seconds to send her right on out of here.” Brandy gave him a defiant stare.

“And if Carl were here, he might take you up on that. But he’s not here, and we’re not going to—”

“I mean… it shouldn’t be _that_ hard to get her leave with the right act…” The three of them turned their heads toward Maxwell, who had since emerged from the office and listened in.

“What exactly are you proposing?” Adam raised an eyebrow.

“All you need is someone to tell her something like he stopped working here a long time ago and you lost touch with him after.” He shrugged. “Not exactly that difficult.”

“True…” Adam frowned, glancing at Brandy’s satisfied grin. “You _._ _Behave._ ”

Brandy smiled innocently. “And if I happened to give her regular soda instead of diet soda… or added extra calories to her order…?”

“Brandy…”

“Just sayin’…” Without warning, she reached out and smacked Maxwell lightly on his butt. “Good thinking, cutie!”

“Ugh, Brandy…” Adam palmed his forehead, as Maxwell stared after her in a mixture of shock and amusement. “I’m so sorry about her.”

“She’s… uh, definitely a character, isn’t she?”

“You could say that again. You can tell me if she’s too much… I’ll handle her.”

“Sure.” Maxwell glanced out the window, unable to get a good look at her at the moment. “Who is that woman anyway?”

Adam and Daniel looked at each other, before Adam spoke again, sounding out the name as if it were a curse. “ _Sadie._ ”

“A memory Carl would rather bury forever,” Daniel said, frowning. He looked over at Maxwell. “I can fill you in later tonight.”

Maxwell nodded, then walked out to the dining floor to the table next to Sadie’s as Brandy stood by, taking her order. He slowly cleared the empty table, listening in and observing. The woman was clearly attractive, though in this case, it sounded as if beauty was only skin deep with her. Finally, he heard Carl’s name brought up and he took that as his cue.

“Carl… _wow_ , that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.” He stood next to Brandy, placing his arm across her shoulder, and flashing Sadie a brilliant smile, right before recognition registered in his head and he realized he’d seen her before. _The woman from Lythikos…_

Sadie’s mouth nearly dropped at the sight of Maxwell, and Brandy had to smirk. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your drink, ma’am…”

“Uh… just a diet coke,” she stammered, still staring at him.

“I’ll be right back.” She cast an amused glance at Maxwell and hurried away.

“Um… long time, no see…” Maxwell awkwardly made himself comfortable at the table as she looked at him in silence. Suddenly, he no longer wanted to play a part in the original plan to make her leave. He still felt guilty for what he had done with her back in Lythikos. Now, seeing her here in New York, he was curious to know her story. “So, you’re a friend of Carl’s?”

“Yeah… well, not so much…” she said quietly, looking at him thoughtfully. “I honestly thought I’d never run into _you_ again, especially out here.”

“Likewise… I thought you were a Lythikos local.”

“No, my friends and I were taking a trip, and that was just one of our many stops. It was our last night in that area, and we had decided to let loose and go dancing…” She paused, biting her lip. “You know… I was so angry with you for that night…”

He frowned, looking at her apologetically. “I totally get it.”

“I realized I had forgotten my wallet at the bar, and when I had gone back to get it…” she continued, as she reached across the table, touching his hand. “The bartender told me what you did. I couldn’t believe it…”

Maxwell pulled his hand away, looking down at the table as the memories of seeing what had happened Riley last night flooded his head. “I’d never want anything like that to happen to anyone,” he said.

“You have no idea how grateful I am. How can I ever thank you?”

“You don’t need to thank me." He looked back at her. “Just… tell me about you and Carl.”

“He wants nothing to do with me… but I had to try to find him again.” Sadness filled her eyes. “I didn’t catch your name.”

He sighed and reached his hand back out. “It’s Maxwell.”

“Sadie…” She shook his hand. “Maxwell… have you ever had a time in your life where you’ve screwed up so badly that you knew you could never even _begin_ to make amends for it?”

He nodded slowly. “I’ve had my share…”

“We were in love, Maxwell… and I ruined it for us… because I was stupid and naïve.” She took a deep breath, staring down at the table. “Near the end, he had just come home from a tour. He was having a lot of trouble sleeping, so he worked more hours to keep himself busy. The stress started to build between us. He wouldn’t let me in. I didn’t understand at the time, but I guess he just didn’t want to put those same images in my head. His military friend, Tanner, started coming around more often and the two of them would have drinks together. Once Carl would head out to work, Tanner would sit and talk with me for a while before leaving himself. It seemed fine at first, until he started getting more affectionate in his conversations—a hug here, a kiss on the hand there, a compliment out of the blue… I should have told Carl what he was doing from the start, but I didn’t think it was going to go anywhere…” She swallowed hard, blinking back tears. “So _stupid_ , I know.”

“Sometimes we don’t always see what’s happening right in front of us…” He offered her a small sympathetic smile.

“Finally, on one particularly bad night, I kissed him… and I wanted more. I _craved_ more. Barely anything had happened before Carl had come home early to find us together…”

“Oh no…”

“He just lost it. I don’t remember what he had in his hands, but he threw everything to the side and lunged at Tanner, punching him so hard he literally broke his jaw.”

Maxwell’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. He kicked him out and then turned to me, telling me I had ten minutes to pack my things and leave. He wouldn’t listen to anything I had to say… not that it would have made a difference. I’m the one who messed up.” Tears freely fell from her eyes now. “I never saw or heard from him again.”

He handed her a tissue. “How long ago was this?”

“Almost five years ago now.” She wiped her eyes and looked around the bar. “I just remembered this was a place he used to work at off and on when he was in the military. I had to see if he was still here. I don’t know what I was going to say to him if I actually saw him, but I just hoped…” She sighed. “Well… this whole thing’s hopeless, isn’t it? I don’t even know why I’m doing this…”

“Has there been no one else?”

“I’ve tried dating again a couple times, but I still could never let go of him.” She smiled softly, wiping at her eyes once again. “There was just no comparison.” Her eyes sparkled with a light coyness. “I mean, back in Lythikos with you, it was amazing… for what it was anyway… but you still couldn’t come close.”

“Should I at least be flattered the word _amazing_ still comes to mind when you think of that night?” he asked jokingly.

“Maybe.” She let out a small laugh, a small blush entering her cheeks. “I really had to get the courage to do what I did that night. My friends told me I should just throw caution to the wind and find someone to _have fun_ with.”

“And you seemed so sure of yourself… At least, that’s what I think I remember. I had a few that night myself.”

“I was honestly scared out of my mind. But you were so sweet… And then you walked out on me, and it felt so horrible at first… But now I’m glad it turned out that way.” Her frown slowly turned into a smile as she looked gratefully at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He stared at her with confusion in his eyes.

“For saving me that night… For stopping yourself… For listening to me…” She took his hand again, squeezing it hard. “No one who’s ever known him would bother take the time to even look at me, much less listen to what I have to say. I’ve always been his little whore girlfriend to them…”

“I’d never call you that. We all make mistakes…” He squeezed her hand back.

“Is there someone special in your life, Maxwell?”

“…Sort of… I mean, I do care a lot for her…”

“Don’t let her go.” She looked at her watch and then down at her untouched food. “I should go…” She pulled out some cash, leaving it on the table.

“I can walk you to your car.”

She smiled. “Thank you…”

Brandy quirked an eyebrow as he passed by with Sadie. “I’ll be right back,” he told her. At the same moment, he felt like he was being watched. He glanced at the other patrons who were all enjoying their meals. Nothing stood out of place until his eyes flew over the corner of the room, where a single patron sat in dark clothing. The lighting in that corner was not very good, so he could hardly see the person’s face. But he was definitely watching them. Maxwell instinctively moved closer to Sadie as he led her out of the bar.

“Well, here I am,” she said a moment later as they reached her car. She turned to him. “Thanks again, Maxwell. I…” She grew quiet, considering her thoughts. “Would it be okay if we… you know… talked again sometime?”

“Of course…” he said, as they traded off phones to enter their numbers. “Text me anytime you need to talk. You know I’ll listen.”

She tentatively put her arms around him, hugging him tight. “Thank you…” she said quietly. “You’re a good friend.”

“I hope you are able to find what you’re looking for, and that he’ll hear you out sometime,” he said, hugging her back.

“Unfortunately, it’s like a one in a million chance with him.” She sighed sadly, unlocking the car.

A wry grin crossed his face. “Well, with Carl, we might be talking at least _two or three_ million…”

She laughed slightly. “You’re probably right.” She climbed into her car, waving to him. “Good night, Maxwell…”

“Good night.” He waved to her, watching as her car disappeared down the street. He began walking back toward the Spicy Apple.

Daniel was waiting outside for him as he approached. “What was _that_ about?”

“She had a lot to talk about.”

“She didn’t try to turn this on him, did she?”

“Actually, no… she was pretty forthcoming about her being the one to cause the fallout. Although, after listening to the whole story from her point of view, I could see there may have been some factors leading up to it… I mean, yes, she made that fatal blow, but there were some very missed red flags that no one noticed.” Maxwell shook his head. “It always happens that way, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm…” Daniel momentarily frowned in the direction Maxwell had walked from before looking at him inquisitively. “I suppose I’m not above changing my mind… however unlikely it might be in regards to her. Let’s talk more when we get back to my place.”

As the two of them disappeared down the street, a tall figure stepped out of the bar, his dark eyes following their every step until they disappeared from his field of vision.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One shower and a fresh pizza delivery later, Maxwell stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a towel that covered him from the waist down. Daniel sat in the living room nearby, searching through his phone. He glanced up as he heard the movement, and his eyes widened slightly at the unexpected sight. _Whoa…_ He’d always thought Maxwell was kind of cute, but now as he admired the smooth skin that stretched taut over that lean, athletic body, the feeling amplified tenfold. He almost felt jealous of Riley for discovering this stunning piece of pure sexual fantasy. Okay, so maybe Adam was right. Maybe he _was_ in a little over his head.

Maxwell stretched his arms over his head before bending down to look through the small bag he carried with him, pulling out a can of body spray. As he stood back up, he glanced over, catching Daniel looking at him. He quickly looked around to see if there was something odd nearby and looked back at him. “…What is it?”

Daniel quickly snapped out of his stare, looking for the easiest answer he could muster out. “Oh, the, uh… I was… just noticing your tattoo. I was curious about it…”

“Oh, that.” Maxwell ran his fingers over the baby hippo. “It was something I had done to honor my mom. Here, I’ll show you.” He walked over, resting an arm across the couch as he sat next to Daniel to point out the tattoo. “You’ll probably think it’s funny, but here’s how it happened…”

Daniel’s breath was becoming stuck in his throat as Maxwell sat near him, describing the story of how the tattoo came about. The fresh scent of body soap wafting off his skin commingled with the scent of shampoo through his still-damp hair, and his hand would not stop brushing against that damned tattoo. His eyes wandered to the edge of the towel, and his imagination began running wild as to what was underneath. He hastily looked away, staring at the floor ahead of him.

Maxwell gave him a strange look, and then his eyes lit up with realization as he studied Daniel’s expression. _Oh…_ He didn’t dare look down as he quietly stood up. “Give me a minute…” He returned to the bathroom.

Daniel shook his head and put his hands over his face, leaning his arms on his knees. _Great job, Daniel, you’ve freaked him out…_

A moment later, a hand fell on his shoulder. “Hey…” He slowly moved his hands down to see Maxwell, now fully dressed, looking down at him. “You’re not embarrassed, are you?”

“Try humiliated.” Daniel could feel his face burning. “I didn’t mean for this to… I mean… well… I didn’t want to freak you out or make you think that’s why I…” He gestured around his home, still feeling flustered.

“You didn’t.” He sat down on the couch again as Daniel gave him a surprised look. “You just looked like you were having a har… er, difficult time… so I wanted to make things less awkward. You’re not exactly the first man to look at me like that.”

“So you don’t think I’m completely weird?”

“For having a crush? Everyone gets them. There’s no reason to feel bad about _that_.”

“Some people aren’t so nice about that…”

“I can share a sad story about one of _my_ crushes.” Maxwell reached for the box of pizza. “So there was this girl I really had a thing for when I was much younger. I thought I could reach into the depths of my poetic soul and win her heart with this amazing poem that only my pre-teen self could passionately articulate. And boy was I wrong!” He pulled some of the cheese that was dripping off of the pizza and put it in his mouth before continuing. “She laughed in my face and then read in it in front of everybody before ripping it apart and stomping on the pieces.”

“Oh my god!” Daniel looked at him sympathetically.

“Needless to say, my crush had _crushed_ me hard. But that day also was the day I made a promise that I would never make anyone feel horrible for admitting to a crush on me. I mean, at least intentionally, of course. I have made some judgement errors now and then.” He picked up a stray piece of pepperoni and slipped it into his mouth, grinning. “Mmm… Now I don’t know about you, but I’m _starving_.”

“I’m sorry that happened. I mean, I know it was obviously a long time ago, but still…” Daniel visibly relaxed and reached for a slice. “I’m glad you’re so cool about this. I’ve had some pretty bad encounters, or even people reeling back in horror that I would dare approach them in anything other than platonic. It’s still so different for someone like me.”

“I’m sorry.” Maxwell swallowed a bite of pizza, looking at him thoughtfully. “I can’t really wrap my mind around people being complete assholes over something so natural. I mean, the average guy is not going to jump back in disgust if it was a woman admitting her crush to him. Why should it be any different if it is a guy admitting the same thing? We’re all human. We all have feelings. That’s just downright cold if you’ve run into that sort.”

“If everyone thought the same as you, I guess there’d really be no reason to hide. Not many people know about me besides my friends at the bar and the people I’ve dated over the years. It’s a forced normal, I guess you could call it.”

“Shouldn’t have to be.”

Daniel nodded regretfully as he glanced down at his phone, opening up a text to read it. “That’s Carl. Riley’s finally awake again, and he’s going to get her to eat something first. He’ll let us know when it’s good to come by.” He watched as Maxwell nodded quietly, focusing on his slice of pizza. “It’ll be okay.”

“Thanks.” Maxwell offered him a small smile as he continued to eat.

“Speaking of Carl…” Daniel looked contemplatively at his phone before glancing back up at Maxwell. “…care to tell me what went on with you and Sadie back there?”

Maxwell nodded, filling him in on the details she had provided to him. Once he was done, Daniel had set his pizza down, leaning back on the couch with a troubled look on his face. “…Daniel? Are you okay?”

“I remember when he came home from that tour…” Daniel’s brows furrowed as he recalled the memory. “It was his last tour… and I remember thinking it must have been a bad one. He didn’t talk to anyone much, not even me or Riley. Always hid himself away in the kitchen at work…” He drew in a deep breath, meeting Maxwell’s gaze. “Please don’t tell anyone we’re talking about this. Not even Riley or Carl.”

“I promise, Daniel.” Maxwell clapped him on the shoulder comfortingly. “I’ve got plenty of secrets that I’ll be taking to my grave.” His words earned a tiny smile from Daniel. “So, what happened?”

“It was after he had caught Sadie and Tanner together. That was such a tough night. Know why he came home early? He was coming home to surprise her. Things had been tough, but he still loved her, and he wanted to make it up to her. What she saw him throw to the side that night must have been the flowers he brought home for her, and the…” He paused, shaking his head.

“Oh no.”

“Yeah. He was going to propose to her.”

“Wow…”

“It was literally the last straw, with all he had been dealing with. I remember being so angry at Sadie for what she did, but now…” He sighed. “I guess I can understand somewhat. I’m not excusing her, but I get it…”

“Why’s that?”

“Not long after, the nightmares and sleepless nights got worse. Riley was staying with Carl at that point because we’d both been worried about him. I got a call in the middle of the night from her one night. He’d had this horrific nightmare, which we _still_ have no idea what it was to this day, and woke up screaming in…” He squinted his eyes. “I don’t know what you would call it… like this half-awake, half-asleep mode. He fell off the bed and just wouldn’t move. So she called me over to help. When I got there, he was shaking hard and sweating a lot. Riley went to remove his shirt to help change him into drier clothing, and that’s when all hell broke loose.”

Maxwell’s eyes widened. “Did he…”

Daniel sighed and nodded, giving him a regretful expression. “As soon as she pulled his shirt off and tossed it aside, she was about to put the new shirt on. Then his eyes just flashed open and he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall. He wasn’t hurting her… he just held her there. He looked at her like he didn’t even know her. Riley did fine though… She just stared him down and kept quietly saying his name and rubbing his arms. He eventually put her down and that’s when we both saw all of these wounds on his chest and stomach. They were healing, but we could tell it had been recent.” His eyes glistened momentarily. “We’re certain he was tortured over there.” Maxwell put a hand on his shoulder, and he nodded his head gratefully. “I’m okay… thanks.”

“I’m guessing he never said anything about it either.”

“No. When he eventually got back to consciousness, we told him what we saw, and he brushed it off right away. Claimed it was from him getting reckless while doing some remodel work on the house.” Daniel shook his head. “That house never saw a remodel that year.” He exhaled a long breath. “But once he heard what he did to Riley, that was enough to convince him to get some help. No surprise, he had severe PTSD. It was several months before we finally started to see the old Carl back again.”

“But he’s okay now.”

“Yeah, for the most part… Once in a while, he still gets a nightmare or flashback or something, but he at least knows to call one of us now to talk him through it.” He looked over at Maxwell. “I know everything sounds bad when you hear it all at once…”

“You can do a lot in five years. He seems like a good guy… a bit insane at times, but he’s not bad. He reminds me of a friend of mine, just a little more extreme.”

“I still can’t help but wonder though… what he must have went through… all the secrets he’s keeping bottled up inside that he can’t even talk to us about…”

Maxwell took a drink, looking thoughtfully at his glass. “I’m sure he feels like he’s trying to protect you. At least, that’s the type of person he strikes me as anyway. And you have to figure, everyone has their secrets. Sometimes things are better left unknown…”

“Welcome to the family,” Daniel said wittily, raising his drink to him. “We’re just as screwed up as you all are back in Cordonia.”

“Heh. I’ll drink to that.”

“And on the subject of people who aren’t talking…” Daniel looked at him. “You and Riley have been pretty silent on what happened in Cordonia. The only facts we have is that she’s really hurting, and the media has been finding ways to spread lies about her every day.”

“She never talked to you?”

“To her credit, it’s not like she hadn’t tried. But she had just come home, and well, it just came out all tears.”

Maxwell frowned sadly. “I definitely have something to do with that. You’re probably not going to like what I have to say.”

“I’m _already_ mad at you for whatever it is that’s hurting her, and I still welcomed you into my home.” Daniel took a drink. “Look, I know Carl is pretty much Team Riley a hundred percent, but it’s possible you _might_ be growing on him just a little. I’m Team Riley too, but I also like to give the other team the benefit of the doubt on occasion. So tell me everything.”

Maxwell nodded and began filling him in on everything that had happened, from that very first night at the Spicy Apple all the way through the night of the Beaumont Bash.

“…You slept with Riley… on a _dare_?” Daniel looked at him in disbelief.

“I didn’t exactly _want_ it to happen that way…” Maxwell looked at him miserably. “I just couldn’t keep my stupid mouth shut that night, and then I was too proud to back off.”

Daniel shook his head, but gestured for him to continue. Maxwell moved on from the aftermath of the Beaumont Bash through the events of the coronation. “Why would Drake even care that you two slept together?”

“He was so sure that I only did it to add her to my _growing list of flings_ , as everyone has been calling it.”

“Ah… the _playboy_ reputation, right?”

“You saw that magazine too?”

Daniel gave him a rueful look. “I was there when Carl found it on the internet…”

“Why was Carl…” Maxwell paused, looking at him in confusion.

Daniel set his drink down, looking at him earnestly. “Honestly? We had no idea who any of you all were. You show up to our bar one night and take Riley out for what sounded like just a single night of fun. Next thing we know, she’s running off to Cordonia with a group of strangers that even _she_ knows nothing about. I’m sure you can connect the dots from there.”

“Did it help at all that Aidan was well-known as the Crown Prince?”

Daniel side-glanced him, shaking his head. “You kidding? This is Carl. He would do a background check on _God_.”

Maxwell chuckled. “I get the picture.”

“So back to Drake… he’s so sure that Riley was just another fling to you, but you tell him…?”

“That’s… where it all falls apart.” Maxwell sighed. “I got sick of it, and so out of sarcasm, I just repeated back everything he was saying, and I pretty much said that I used her.” He winced at the memory. “She walked in on us right as I said that…”

“You’re an idiot.” Daniel was shaking his head with every word, staring at him incredulously. “That guy is so not a friend if all he can see is your reputation.”

“I don’t exactly blame him for it. My reputation has _been_ me for years…” He gazed down at the floor. “It all seemed so glamorous for a while. Then I met Riley, and…” His eyes moved back up to meet Daniel, who had an eager sparkle in his eyes as he waited for him to finish the sentence. “…and something just changed… I knew I didn’t want to be that guy anymore. Every time I looked at her, spent time with her, listened to her laugh, I always felt so lucky to be around that. Even if she did love Aidan…”

Daniel’s smile faded. “You… think it was _Aidan_ she loved?”

“I _know_ it was. If you could have seen them together, you’d know how much those two are meant for each other. Aidan’s one of my best friends, and probably one of the greatest guys I’ve ever known. No one lights him up the way Riley has.”

“And yet… he’s not here, after she was publicly massacred. He chose another woman just like that as soon as those photos hit the news. That doesn’t exactly fit the loving persona of Aidan that you speak of…”

“Riley was sent this, just before everything hit that night…” Maxwell pulled out his phone, showing Daniel a picture of the note that was sent to Riley at the Coronation.

“ _You will never be Queen_ … _leave court now_ …” Daniel narrowed his eyes as he read the words over and over again. “Who would do this? _Why_ would they do this?”

“That’s what we’re trying to look into. I know this probably doesn’t make much sense, but Aidan chose a different candidate to protect Riley. She and another woman were sent these notes that night. Until we find out who’s behind them, Aidan is worried that she could be in danger the closer she is to the crown. That also adds in the issue of zero contact from him to us. Even _I_ can’t talk to him right now. The only way I can try is to sneak messages over through Drake, but even _that’s_ risky by itself. Anything can be intercepted, so we have to be careful about it.” He looked at the note on his phone one more time before putting it away. “But… none of that is really going to matter if Riley doesn’t want to return to Cordonia.”

“And if she does, it will be for… Aidan…” Daniel said slowly, searching Maxwell’s face.

Maxwell tore his gaze away from Daniel to focus on his drink. “Yeah… for Aidan.”

“You _do_ know that Riley—” Daniel suddenly looked down as his phone went off. “Carl again. They’re ready for us.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell couldn’t have been more surprised to see Riley, as she ran towards him and wrapped her arms around him, not saying a word. He hesitantly folded his arms around her, pulling her tightly to him. “It’s good to see you, little blossom,” he said quietly against her ear.

“I’m still pissed at you,” she mumbled in response, tightening her hold on him.

“I know…”

“But I’m glad you’re here…”

He exhaled slowly, pulling back just enough to look down at her. “Me too…”

They realized how quiet the room had gotten. Slowly, they turned their heads to see that Carl and Daniel were sitting on the couch, watching them with fascination. The two men quickly turned their heads back towards the television as soon as they saw they were noticed. “Okay, I think it’s time we talked in private…” Riley gestured with her hand down the hall toward her bedroom. Maxwell nodded and started walking ahead of her.

“Just so you know, these walls aren’t soundproof,” Carl said, holding a straight face, speaking in a low voice that only Riley could hear.

“Very funny…” Riley rolled her eyes. “We’re just going to talk.”

“Uh huh… well, if this _talk_ knocks you up, he’s got _me_ to deal with.” He gave her a smirk right as she smacked his shoulder on her way down the hall.

She walked into the room, closing the door behind her, finding Maxwell standing nearby, waiting patiently. “We both already know this, but I’ll just say it anyway… I’m an idiot,” he said.

She folded her arms, leaning against the wall. “No objections…”

He hesitantly stepped toward her. “I know I can’t take back what I said.”

“I think the question is, _why_ did you even say it?” She shook her head slowly, staring at him. “Do you even know how horrible it felt?”

“I think I—”

“No. You don’t,” she interrupted. “Maxwell, I defended you. When I was warned to _be careful_ because of your reputation, I pushed back and said you were different. I said you were not the person they were making you out to be. And then you tell Drake that everything they think is true, and you _used_ me? After telling me that our night together meant something to you?”

“It did, Riley. You know that.”

“I’m not so sure now.” She watched his face fall. “How do I know that what you were saying to him wasn’t actually the truth about how you _really_ felt?”

He could feel his face growing hot. Was she serious right now? The one person who had really taken the time to know him was now standing before him with an accusatory stare. Even though he knew he deserved every bit of anger she was throwing at him, he could feel himself getting riled up at the thought of his old reputation coming back into play. “Because it _isn’t_ ,” he bit out.

“How convenient that _I’m_ the only one who knows this while everyone else gets to think I’m just another number in your game,” she shot back.

“I made a mistake, Riley!”

“You got that right! I wish that night never happened!”

He froze, her words like ice coursing through his veins. His fists began to clench, and he quickly turned from her, yelling out as he hit the wall in frustration.

“Remember! Thin walls!” Carl’s sarcastic voice shouted from down the hall.

She opened the door, hollering back, “Stay out of it! We’re still fighting!”

“Hey, however rough you want it! Just don’t break anything!” She rolled her eyes and shut the door hard. “ _Use protection!_ ”

She turned to find Maxwell had crossed the room and was now standing at her window, staring expressionlessly at the night sky. She sighed and walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have said that,” she said quietly.

“…Did you mean it?” His attempt to hide the hurt in his voice had failed.

“No…” Her hand squeezed his shoulder. “What happened between us was only part of the pain I’m feeling now. There’s so much more to it… what happened with Aidan, the whole scandal coming out, missing being with everyone… I guess when I kept thinking about what you did, for a moment there, I just wanted you to _really_ know the pain I was feeling. I wanted you to know my anger. I wanted you to hurt as bad as I’m hurting now.”

He looked down, gazing at her earnestly. “Then hurt me,” he said quietly. “Keep going.”

She looked up at him with mournful eyes and shook her head. “No. I’ve done enough.”

“Then here…” He offered her his hand. “Take my hand, Riley. Take it and squeeze it as hard as you can, and I will hurt with you. I won’t let you be alone.”

She tentatively took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently. “I’ve done enough,” she repeated. “I’m not alone with you right here.” The two of them stood quietly in companionable silence for several moments, allowing for the emotions to settle. “So Carl told me you came to my rescue last night.”

“He was there too, you know. I saw a whole new side of him the moment we found you.”

“He went full-Carl, huh?”

“I’m not sure what that entails, but judging by what I saw, pretty sure I’ve seen the full extent of that man’s insanity.”

“You _know_ he’d take that statement as a challenge if he heard you, right?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.”

“Heh.” She stared at the moon for a moment. “He told me I was hallucinating in Spanish too.”

“He’s right. You were saying all sorts of weird things.”

“Like what?”

“You called me Máximo.”

She burst out laughing. “I am _so_ changing your name in my phone right now.”

“You’re not going to start calling me that now, are you?”

“Aww, you don’t like my nickname for you, _M_ _áx-i-mo_?” she teased, sounding out the name slowly in a Spanish accent.

“The Spanish accent isn’t so bad.” He grinned playfully for a moment, then his expression grew serious again. “It was kinda funny, but kinda not… you know, considering what had happened to you…”

“We can laugh about it _now_ , can’t we?” She smiled. “Come on… tell me the rest.”

A small smile formed across his lips. “Well… my Spanish sucks, but I remember there was something about a dancing hippo… oooh, and a squid in a sombrero! That was my favorite, of course.”

“You are _so_ lying!”

“I couldn’t make this up.”

“You totally should have video taped this.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You _do_ remember the fact that Carl was with me, right? Did you _want_ him to shoot me?!”

“At least we could have been hospital roomies! You have any idea how boring it was to be stuck there all night?”

“How could it be boring when I left you with the most amazing little buddy in the world?” He lifted Sid up from the pillows on her bed.

“He’s not very talkative.”

He held Sid up to his ear, nodding very seriously. He raised an eyebrow playfully at her. “Sid says you ignored him all night, and you _crushed_ him when you slept! Worse, he says you snore!”

“Hey!” Her mouth dropped as she laughed. “Well Sid inks the bed!”

“Lies! Sid is housebroken.” He playfully glared at her, then bounced Sid in his hand, making him talk in a high-pitched voice. “Yeah, don’t insult me, Riley!” _Sid_ said with a huff. “I may be tiny, but I am a mighty Kraken! Rarrrrr!” Maxwell moved toward her and buried the little squid into her neck.

She squirmed away, giggling as the plushy fibers tickled her skin. She twisted around and tackled him, catching him by surprise as he fell backwards against the bed, taking her with him. The two of them laughed and then slowly stopped as they momentarily stared at each other. As she gazed into his eyes, she could see a range of emotion flashing back and forth within those deep blue irises, and she wondered what secrets they held, the things he was thinking, the things he was _feeling_ , and… _What the hell?_

Sid’s bubbly eyes suddenly popped in between them, crossing her field of vision. She shook her head, smiling, as she pushed herself off, sitting down against the headboard. He grinned impishly at her, moving to sit beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. “He certainly is a character.” She patted Sid on the head. “So, spirit in disguise, huh? Is that a reference to your mom?”

He nodded wistfully, looking down at him. “He was literally the last gift I ever received from her. She found him on a whim and gave him to me ‘just because.’ Mom was always doing stuff like that.” He felt her lean her head onto his shoulder. “When she died, I didn’t exactly have anyone to talk to. Dad was always _too busy_ or had more important things to do. Bertrand shut himself off and started taking after him, learning about the house, how to _bring honor_ to the Beaumont legacy…” He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “Well, one night, I was looking at this little guy and just kept talking about Mom. I know it sounds silly, but…”

“It isn’t.” She gently squeezed his arm.

“I mean, you see his face, right? To a kid like me? That was literally the only friendly face I saw at home. You think _Bertrand_ has a scary mad face? You should have seen my dad’s.” He shook his head. “Anyway, being alone all the time and not really being able to talk much to anyone, that’s when I started getting into my writing. I figured if no one would listen to me, I could still put my words somewhere.” He reached into his pocket, slowly pulling out his wallet, and glancing self-consciously at her as he pulled out a small piece of parchment, well-preserved in one of the photo slips. “Don’t judge me… I wrote this when I was little. I’ve never shown this to anyone… ever.”

“I’ll be careful…” She nodded, carefully taking the worn parchment from his hands and reading over the words that he had been able to conjure up from within his child

**_Sid The Squid_ **

_My angel had a gift for me  
She placed him in my hand  
The baby squid who stared at me  
would always understand_

_I was somehow born the odd one  
and mentally pushed and shoved  
But this little tiny buddy  
was a sign that I was loved._

_My angel left me in the night  
I was facing the unknown  
My family had more pressing things,  
so I was all alone._

_The baby squid sat in my hand,  
with a friendly, watchful eye,  
and a reassuring smile that said  
with him, I’m safe to cry._

_I wonder if my angel knew  
the worth of her surprise.  
I named him Sid to honor her,  
my spirit in disguise._

“Maxwell…” she breathed out, her eyes shining as she put her hand over her mouth.

He carefully took the poem back, placing it back in its cover in his wallet. “I know… it’s not that great… but it was all I could think of at the time…”

She leaned up, pulling his face toward hers, and brushed a small, gentle kiss across his lips. “It was beautiful, Maxwell…”

His eyes widened and his heart rate shot up. “Riley… what are you… what about Aidan?”

“Maxwell, we’re not in Cordonia anymore… it’s just you and me now.”

No… No, no, no. She didn’t mean that. She _couldn’t_ mean that. Not after the horrible things he had said. Not after having to deal with what happened in Cordonia. He wasn’t the one who deserved her. That man was waiting for her back in Cordonia. He shook his head, unable to let himself believe her words. “I can’t keep doing this to Aidan…”

“What does _Aidan_ have to do with this?” She placed a hand against his chest. “With _us_?”

His heart broke as she uttered the word, _us_. “Riley…” He gently pushed her back. “There _is_ no us… Aidan’s the one who loves you. And I… I…”

“You what?”

“I’m just your best friend…” He swallowed hard. “I can’t do this… to _either_ of you…”

“ _He’s_ the one who left _me_ , Maxwell, remember? Aidan and I were done the moment he called out Madeleine’s name.”

“You don’t understand, Riley. He was doing it to protect you.”

“Protect me?” She let out a cynical laugh. “Seriously, do I _not_ get a say in this? Has Aidan never trusted me this whole time? Does he think I can’t take care of myself? Trust me, I don’t mind the help where it’s needed, but I don’t need my damned hand held every single minute!”

“I think if you could just talk to him, Riley, you’ll understand why he did it. I know it’s going to be crazy with the media and the engagement tour and everything right now, but you’ll still have the rest of us there behind you.”

She stared ahead, not meeting his eyes. The more and more she thought about it, the more she realized she was better off staying in New York. Where she was free to make her own choices, free to make her own mistakes, free to live her own life… Why should she return to a life where there was always going to be someone who insisted on making decisions _for_ her without her input, just because it was ‘for her own good’? “No…” She shook her head, clenching her jaw as she mustered out the hardest words she knew she had to say. “I’m sorry, Maxwell.” She folded her hands in her lap. “I won’t be returning to Cordonia.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maxwell walked out to kitchen, finding Daniel and Carl having a conversation at the counter. They looked up as he came into the the room. “Beaumont…” Carl studied his expression. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I…” Maxwell rubbed the back of his neck as he headed toward the front door. “…I think I just need some air.”

Daniel stood up quietly, making a slight nod to Carl in the direction of Riley’s room. Carl nodded back, and Daniel made his way down the hall as Maxwell continued walking away, oblivious to their silent exchange.

Carl stood at the counter, briefly watching Maxwell exit the house. He grabbed a pair of fresh tumblers, pouring out some whiskey, and followed him out the door. He passed him a glass, and the two of them stood quietly for several moments, looking out into the neighborhood from his porch. “I remember that night like it was yesterday,” he said, interrupting the silence as he side-glanced him. “Every time she walked away from your table, you’d be sneaking looks over at our kitchen when your friends weren’t looking. I knew you had it bad then.”

“Heh. Guess I wasn’t as stealthy as I thought.” Maxwell took a small sip of the whiskey, letting it burn at the back of his throat.

“I usually don’t miss much. Though that night… I thought it was a one-night deal. She’d go out, have a fun night, and that’d be the end of it. Dan and I even encouraged it… it’d been a while since she’d had some real fun. You guys sure gave her a night to remember, as I recall.” He shook his head as he took a drink. “But damn… never in my life did I imagine you would spirit her away from us the next day, with barely a chance to say goodbye. Dan was devastated that he never got to see her.”

Maxwell frowned. “Yeah… I’m sorry it was so rushed. We were really crunched for time to get her ready for that first event if she wanted to compete.”

“Sometimes when life hands you an opportunity, you have to take it. You never know if you’re missing out on something special.” Carl shot him a knowing look before taking a drink.

“What if that opportunity was meant for someone else?”

“Seems to me someone else is waiting for someone to do the work _for_ them.”

“Hey, Aidan’s a good guy.”

“And here we go…” Carl leaned against the wall, shooting him a bored glare. “It’s the same damned re-run every time, Beaumont. Get it through your head. No one cares that Aidan’s a good guy. I’m sure he is. The point here is that this is not _his_ opportunity. The only one that has been seeing the opportunity from the beginning is _you_. And you’re ready to just give it all away. How much sense does that make?” He shook his head and took another drink.

“Maybe you’re right… but it no longer matters now.”

“It only stops mattering when you make it so.”

Maxwell slowly sipped his drink, looking thoughtfully into the glass. “You’ve been in love before, haven’t you?”

“This conversation is not about me.” Carl narrowed his eyes resentfully. “Adam filled me in on what went on at the bar today.”

“There was a lot happening that I recall.”

“If you’re trying to play dumb with me again, Beaumont, I swear…”

“I won’t. Just… well, here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, handing it to him.

“What the hell is this?”

“That’s _your_ opportunity.”

He glanced at the paper, his eyes growing furious as he read the name and phone number printed on it. He immediately crumpled it up and tossed it into the corner of the porch. “And that’s what I plan on doing with it.”

“And you know _my_ plan.”

“This is all I gotta say…” Carl took a drink before giving him a grave stare. “If you give up this opportunity, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.”

There was an odd look in Carl’s eyes as he spoke, and Maxwell stared at him curiously. “…We really aren’t… talking about Riley anymore, are we?”

He paused in mid-sip, staring ahead for a moment. Finally, he shook his head, taking a drink. “You’re a fool, Beaumont.”

“Fine.” Maxwell gave him a challenging stare. “I’ll take mine when you take yours.”

“I’m impressed.” Carl raised an eyebrow. “You’re still a fool though. I wouldn’t gamble on me if I were you.”

“Sometimes big risks can be worth taking… like chasing down impossible opportunities, right?” Maxwell downed the remainder of his whiskey.

“Perhaps.”

As Maxwell stepped back into the house, Carl finished his whiskey, looking out at the dimly lit neighborhood when a flash of something caught his eye. He immediately moved forward to the edge of his porch, staring off into the distance. He thought he saw movement in the alley ahead, but when he looked again, all was still. He waited, keeping an eye on the dark, shadowy area for several minutes, but no further movement occurred. Turning back, he glanced down at the crumpled paper in the corner of his porch, staring at it for a long moment. Shaking his head, he took his empty glass and retired into the house.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Daniel picked up the forgotten baby squid, looking thoughtfully at it. “You know… if this little guy could talk, I bet he’d have some real interesting stories to share.”

“Poor little guy is probably traumatized.” Daniel sat down on the other side of the bed, leaning against the headboard and holding an arm out to her. She leaned into him, and he hugged her to him. “I don’t know how to feel right now,” she sighed.

“Well, there’s always Carl, and we both know he has no trouble reading into a situation and telling you exactly what he thinks… _but_ …” He chuckled. “…we both also know he’d probably get a few smart-ass remarks in where he can.” He grinned as Riley shook her head, hiding a smile of her own. “God bless that idiot of a brother of ours, I know…” She giggled against him, nodding in agreement. “But then there’s me… I’m not the _biggest_ expert on these things, but you know I’m willing to listen. And I _usually_ know how to keep my mouth shut at the right times…”

“True…”

“So, talk to me.”

She sighed and went over what had happened between her and Maxwell earlier. “He just can’t seem to get this idea out of his head that I need to go to Cordonia _for Aidan_. It seems like every time I try to get closer to him, he can’t seem to wrap it around his mind that he’s more than just my best friend to me.”

Daniel looked down, gently tossing Sid around between his hands. “Well, you know the history of his reputation already… but do you know if he’s ever had an _actual_ relationship before?”

“I… guess I never thought of that…”

“I mean… you know how it went with Carl. He _loved_ Sadie. She was his everything. And then… she shattered him. You and I both know it takes a lot to break _him_. For him, it’s probably easier to do what he’s doing rather than get attached like that again.” A sad look appeared in his eyes. “I honestly wish someone would come along to break him of that, but…” He sighed and shook his head. “Anyway, we’re talking about Maxwell… I’m thinking his mind’s along a similar path. Easier to not get attached for whatever hang-up he’s built up in his head.”

“So you think maybe I’m just pushing too hard?”

“Maybe… but I’m not saying you’re doing it on purpose…”

“I guess we’ll never know… since he’s leaving soon.”

“You should totally take him out on a date. What have you got to lose now? Enjoy him while you can.” He wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her tight. “I know _I’ll_ miss him.”

“You two really bonded well, didn’t you?”

“We had a nice chat.” Daniel smiled. “He was really considerate.”

“Carl tells me he’s staying with you…” A teasing glint appeared in her eye. “Must be dream come true.”

“The things I must _suffer_ through to help you…” He grinned. “Seeing that man wrapped up in a towel made my day… like a big sexy burrito with the sumptuous filling pouring out for my eyes to devour like a—”

Riley smacked him with a pillow, laughing. “Someone seriously needs a cold shower!”

“Tell me I’m wrong!” He threw a pillow back at her.

“Oh now you’ve done it…” She pushed her body back against the bed, pinning his arm behind her back, and reached over to tickle his extremely sensitive sides, while using her other hand to keep his free hand away.

“Ohmygod Riley, _no_!” He desperately struggled to pull his arm back, finally falling limp against her, laughing helplessly. “Okay, I quit! I _quit_! I give up! Uncle! _Anything!_ ” Riley just laughed at him and sat back up, letting him go. He immediately drew his arm back as soon it was free, hugging both arms tightly to his sides. “You two _always_ ganged up on me when we were kids.”

“Aww, maybe because you have the most adorable laugh,” she said, grinning as she teasingly poked at him again.

“I hate you!” he giggled, rolling away from her.

She laughed, grabbing onto him and pulling him into a big hug from behind. “And I love _you_ , little brother.”

He hugged her arms around him, leaning back into her embrace. “I’m really happy to have you back with us again, Riley. But I’m also sorry that things went so wrong in Cordonia for you… You seemed so happy over there. All those new friends you were making… they really sounded like amazing people.”

“They were,” she said, with a sigh, absentmindedly tracing over a pattern on her pillowcase as she thought of Hana, Drake, Aidan and Maxwell… Part of her even missed Bertrand and his daily lectures on courtly etiquette. He would be _horrified_ to see her using the same damned fork for everything here. And hell, even Olivia. She missed that heavy dose of rivalry they shared during the competition. Whether Olivia wanted to admit it or not, they definitely would have made great friends had Riley decided to return to Cordonia.

“And yet somehow you missed our boring lives over here in New York, huh? Where the worst thing we had to deal with was Dick yelling at us over dishes in the sink…” Daniel smiled, squeezing her arms affectionately.

She chuckled. “How did Dick take my sudden departure?”

“Oh, he was _pissed_.”

“I knew he loved me.”

“Quitting on a weekend night rush, and the poor guy had to pick up a towel and dry dishes himself!”

“Oh, the _horror_! I made him work?!” She shook her head, laughing. “Sorry, not sorry!”

Daniel glanced at the door, then shifted around to face her. “So… want to go join them in the living room now?” He smiled mischievously. “We still never watched Anastasia together.”

“Carl’s going to kill you,” she giggled, as he helped her off the bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Drake hesitated, stopping short at the door to Aidan’s office as he tried to think of what he was going to say. He hated the thought of delivering bad news to his friend, especially with everything he now had to deal with. Every moment Aidan had spent knowing Riley had left Cordonia weighed him down more than the Crown itself.

He glanced down at his phone, re-reading Maxwell’s texts with quiet sigh. He felt bad for his friend, knowing how hard this had to be for him all the way out there, with no one else from Cordonia to give him any moral support.

**Maxwell:** Agent Breakdance has failed in his mission.  
 **Maxwell:** Returning to base solo. 💔

_I’m sorry, Maxwell. I’m sorry I couldn’t see sooner just how much she meant to you._ Part of him felt responsible for her decision to leave Cordonia. If only he had just left it alone. _I’m sorry, Mason_ , he thought to himself. _We should have done more to protect you._ He looked up at the door in front of him, preparing himself for the conversation he knew neither of them wanted to have. _I’m sorry, Aidan. I wish things didn’t have to turn out this way._

He entered the room, finding Aidan standing in front of the window next to his desk, hands folded behind his back, staring vacantly at the palace grounds. “Aidan.”

Aidan turned slowly, glancing at him. “Drake.”

Drake moved to stand next to him at the window. “Another rough one?”

“I can’t stop thinking about her. I feel so helpless just sitting here in Cordonia while she’s out there, wondering why all of this happened.”

“Aidan…”

“I hate this, Drake. I’m the King of Cordonia, and yet I’m still powerless to help the woman I love. How is this right?” Drake quietly put a hand on his shoulder, and Aidan studied his face carefully. “This isn’t good, is it…?”

He shook his head sadly. “Mason doesn’t want to return.” Aidan’s face fell. “I’m sorry, Aidan. Maxwell’s coming back home tomorrow, by himself.”

“Well, so much for our little _arrangement_ , wouldn’t you say, _darling_?” Aidan visibly tensed at the voice behind them. They turned to see Madeleine standing in the doorway, wearing a self-satisfied smirk. “It’s just as well. She truly had no place in this court, though I do somewhat applaud her paltry efforts to blend in.”

“She had every right to be here,” Drake growled.

“Easy, Drake,” Aidan mumbled.

“Please. She was a commoner. What does _she_ know?” She smiled irreverently at him. “Oh… no offense.”

“Madeleine, please. Let’s disperse with the mockery and focus on the reason you stopped by.” Aidan remained stoic in his position, but Drake could see the tiny glint of anger that was escaping his friend’s eyes.

“Of course, _sweetheart_. I came here to discuss the arrangements for our engagement tour.”

“We can discuss that later.”

“Oh come now, Aidan. There’s no need to continue torturing yourself over this woman. She’s yesterday’s news and today’s rubbish.”

“That’s _enough_ , Madeleine.” Aidan didn’t raise his voice, but his tone came out hard and angry.

“Drake…” She flashed him a smug grin. “The King and I need a few moments alone. Perhaps you can find something to keep yourself occupied. Swinging through the orchard trees, perhaps?”

She was getting on his last nerve, and this really was not the time for it. He’d just lost one of his closest friends. Maxwell was stuck in New York getting his heart crushed. Aidan had lost the only woman he’d truly loved. And _she_ was the literal walking definition of _crown chaser_. She was only too proud to brush Riley off as if she’d never existed and continue her quest for power, while using Aidan as a pawn in her game. Aidan might have to be diplomatic about it because he was the king now, but him? He was a commoner, as Madeleine so _nicely_ pointed out. One of the people. He had some leeway in making his opinion of her known.

“Of course,” Drake answered derisively, ignoring the silent look of warning from Aidan. “I would _never_ want to impose on our future queen’s time to be intimate with her future husban—oh, _wait._ ” He smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets and quietly whistling the theme of Cruella de Ville as he strolled out of the room, with the glowering daggers of Madeleine’s eyes searing into his backside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Maxwell:** 😥😥  
 **Grace:** What’s wrong, Maxy?  
 **Maxwell:** This is my last night with her.  
 **Maxwell:** She doesn’t want to return to Cordonia. 😥  
 **Grace:** I’m so sorry…  
 **Grace:** Well… if you haven’t told her by now, you should.  
 **Maxwell:** I can’t. 😟  
 **Grace:** Why not? You have nothing to lose now.  
 **Grace:** Might as well make it one last night worth remembering.  
 **Grace:** Isn’t that what you would tell anyone else?  
 **Maxwell:** Yeah…  
 **Grace:** So make it happen. 😊  
 **Maxwell:** We’ll see… 🙂  
 **Grace:** Good luck! 💘

Riley approached him as he put his phone back in his pocket, and he paused for a moment to take in the sight of her. She was wearing the same emerald green dress that she had worn the night they had met, bringing back fond memories of how she’d instantly captivated his heart. The colorful lights of Kismet cast a vibrant glow off of her skin as she drew closer. Her eyes sparkled with a light that rivaled the moon and all the stars in the sky as she looked up at him. “Ready?”

They both momentarily stared at the busy club entrance, watching the enormous line that wrapped around the building. The lights and music poured outside and surrounded everyone in a haze of melodious bliss as they waited in anticipation to join the indoor crowd. Maxwell could feel a lack of energy as reluctance built up inside him to join in. As much as a night of dancing appealed to him, all he could think of was her. He didn’t want to see or be around anyone else. He just wanted _her._

“You know what?” Riley suddenly turned to him. “How about we forget the club and get away from all this distraction? I know of this gorgeous secret cove by the beach… we’d probably have the whole place to ourselves.”

He smiled down at her, glad that they were thinking along the same lines. “That actually sounds… perfect.”

A short drive, and an even shorter hike later, they arrived at a small, secluded area of the beach, surrounded by small cliffs and towering rocks. The moonlight showered over the surface of the water, the waves glistening with a pearlescent shimmer as they swept towards the shore. “This place is awesome,” Maxwell said, gazing around the area in wonder.

“We should build a fire to keep warm,” Riley said, picking up some pieces of dry wood.

“I see at least five things we can light on fire.”

“As long as they work for creating a nice-sized fire for us, you can light anything you want, Maxwell.” She quirked an eyebrow as he kicked up an old shoe from the sand. “Not that.” He laughed and began helping her find pieces of wood around the area. Eventually, they had a big fire going, and they sat together, warming their hands near the flames. “So, what do you think of this place?”

“I love it. I’ve been to a lot of beaches, but I don’t think I’ve never seen one like this.”

She smiled in response. “Probably why it’s my favorite place in New York.”

“Really? And you didn’t tell us the first time?” He put his hand to his heart, feigning hurt.

“If I remember correctly, _some_ one was a little more excited to go out and party… and it wasn’t Aidan,” she laughed, looking out toward the water.

“Hey, if I had known this place existed, I definitely would have been down to join you. Besides… you can still dance at a beach!”

“Very true…” Her eyes traveled from the fire towards the sky, and a scheming grin crossed her face. “Come on.” She got up from the log they were sitting on and began running towards the cliffs.

He got up from his seat and ran, easily catching up to her. “Riley, what are you doing?”

“What does it look like? We’re going to climb some cliffs.”

“Seriously? Way up _there_?”

“You’re not _scared_ , are you, Maxwell?” Riley teased. “Try to keep up!” Finding handholds and places for her feet, she quickly scaled the cliff face, with Maxwell trailing right behind her. She took a moment to catch her breath before she extended a hand down and helped him up. “What do you think?”

For a moment, they both looked out, watching the moonlight play on the waves below as the wind moved through the clouds. “It’s amazing…”

“I know. _So_ worth the climb, isn’t it?” She grabbed his hands and pulled him towards her, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And the perfect spot for dancing.”

“It does look like a good spot for it. It’s not too dark over here, right? You think we need music? I could always look on my phone and—”

She laughed softly at his nervous rambling. “Maxwell… shut up. Don’t think. Just dance…”

He nodded, slipping his phone back into his pocket and putting his hand back at her waist. The two of them danced along the rocks, with the music of the waves crashing along the shore playing for them in the background.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, studying his face. “Afraid the Kraken is going to jump out of the water and drag you down?”

He chuckled, a mischievous glint entering his eyes. “No…” He then dipped her in a sudden move, causing her to squeal in surprise and delight. “Not if I feed you to him first!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh wouldn’t I?” He easily lifted her up, bringing her to the edge of the cliff.

She clung to his neck and narrowed her eyes. “If you drop me…”

“I would never _drop_ a gourmet Kraken meal…”

“Even if I do this?” She formed her face into a sexy pout.

“No using your evil powers to make me sacrifice myself for you!” he laughed.

“Aww, you’d sacrifice yourself for me?” She put her hands to his face, winking teasingly at him.

He sighed playfully. “Yes, oh great evil one…”

She giggled as he gently set her down. “The water _does_ look amazing tonight.” She looked at him with a mischievous grin. “How about we go _skinny dipping_?”

His eyes shot up in surprise. “I…”

Without waiting for his answer, she climbed down from the cliffs, heading off toward the water. “What are you waiting for, Maxwell? Get over here!”

“Wait up!” As he met her at the water’s edge, he stopped short at the sultry smile on her face. She locked eyes with him and slid out of her top and twirled it around above her head before tossing it to him. “Riley…”

“Yes?”

“Are you sure about this?”

“ _I_ asked _you_ to go skinny dipping with me… pretty sure it isn’t because I’m feeling shy, Maxwell.” His eyes lingered on her as she seductively stripped off the last of her outfit and tossed it into the sand. She was wearing a brand-new, lacy dark blue bra and panty set. It was obvious she had planned this. She teasingly ran her hand from her chest down to her leg, giving him a mischievous smile. “It’s your turn. Unless you were planning to get in the water fully dressed?”

“Okay…” Maxwell started to remove his pants and shoes. He froze as he felt Riley’s hands behind him.

“Let me help you with that…” she said quietly, as she slid her hands around Maxwell’s shirt, slowly undoing the buttons one-by-one until she was able to pull it off his arms.

“You know…” he said, trying to keep his breathing even. “…when we planned for a low-key evening for our last night together in America, I didn’t exactly imagine we’d end up like this…”

Her eyes gave off an impish sparkle. “Maybe you need to dream a little bigger.”

His breath hitched as her hands ran down his dance-toned abs, causing a chill to tremble down the length of his spine. He reached out, and his hand caught hers right before it began traveling lower. “Riley… what are you trying to start?” he asked hoarsely.

“If you have to ask, Maxwell, I must not be making myself entirely clear…” Still holding his hand, she grinned and pulled him towards the ocean. They both plunged into the freezing surf together, gasping as the icy waves embraced their bare skin.

“It’s…”

“C-c-cold!” she finished, her teeth slightly chattering as she attempted to keep a straight face. “This… this is nothing! I could swim here all night!”

“Color _me_ impressed.” He smirked, keeping his arms wrapped around him.

“Good, because we both know this is ice water.”

“You mean you could survive Lythikos and _this_ is too much for you?”

“Are you just going to stand there and tease me, or you going to do something about it?” She grinned, as her body trembled fiercy from the cold water.

He pretended to consider for a moment, then laughed as she splashed some water at him. “All right, all right… I’ll warm you up then.”

“That’s the spirit!”

“I’ll have you know this is under duress.” He smiled down at her as he wrapped an arm around her.

“Surrrrre.” She took Maxwell’s hand, pulling him towards her and pressing her body close to his.

As their legs intertwined, his other hand circled her waist to pull her closer to him. He swallowed hard as he felt her gently nuzzle her nose along his chest. “Riley…”

“Yes?” she murmured against his damp flesh, pressing a small, sweet kiss on his hippo tattoo, tasting the salt of the ocean on her lips. Her hand traveled slowly down his back, reaching the top of his shorts, and tracing a teasing finger along the waistband.

His breathing grew rapid as he felt his body instantly responding to her touch. “I…” Memories of the Beaumont Bash aftermath began flooding his head, and guilt engulfed his face. “I can’t do this…” He let go of her and turned to look out at the water.

“What’s wrong, Maxwell?” She tentatively touched his shoulder. “…Is… is it… _me_?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then… talk to me… tell me what’s going on.”

“The problem is… I… I can’t control myself… Drake was right.” He gave her a miserable look. “I enjoy this… I mean, like _a lot_ … with you.”

“How is that bad?”

“I don’t want it to _not_ mean anything…” he said quietly, not looking at her. “You’re _not_ one of them…”

“Maxwell…” She moved toward him, touching his arm.

He shook his head, moving back. “No… No, I can’t… I _won’t_ do it. Not again. Not to you…”

“Why not me?” she whispered. “Why am I so different from the others?” He didn’t respond. He just stood apart from her in the ocean, staring ahead and shivering in the moonlight. She moved toward him again and put her arm around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Maxwell… we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I promise,” she said softly, rubbing his arm soothingly with her free hand.

He sighed sadly, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. “I just want to savor this… and just enjoy being around you.” He looked down at her, meeting her eyes. “When I’m near you, Riley, I’ve never felt more alive… You make me feel like it’s okay that I’m not perfect… or smart… or…”

“Maxwell…” she gazed at him sadly. “You sell yourself so short. I wish you could see just how good of a man you really are.”

His embrace tightened. “My reputation has always defined me. But it never did with you. When Drake and I had that fight… and I saw the look on your face when you heard me say those stupid things, that was the scariest moment in my life. I had just betrayed my best friend in the worst way, and I couldn’t erase it. When you walked away, I knew just what I was losing and I knew how much I didn’t want that to end… not like that.” A single tear escaped his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Riley. I never should have let him get to me. I never should have allowed it to make me hurt you.”

“We’re okay now,” she said, hugging him close. “This is not the end. I’m still here…”

He nodded, taking in a steady breath. “You know… before you, I always kept my distance from people. I really only had Aidan before I met you, Riley. Drake and I knew each other through Aidan, but we never really began to bond until you came into the picture. And Hana? She went from having no friends at all to having a whole group of them. You have no idea how much you changed things for us out there.” He forced out a smile, holding back another round of tears. “It just won’t be the same without you, you know? Every minute with you has been an adventure.”

Smiling softly, she leaned back into the water, letting herself float as she looked up at the sky, thinking back on everything they had been through together. “What’s going to happen when you get back home to Cordonia tomorrow?”

“Does it really matter? All I care about is this moment right now, because you and I are here together… And tomorrow, we won’t be. I don’t want to think about the past or the future…” His eyes filled with sorrow again. “I just want to be here with you…”

She stood back up, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest, closing her eyes. She sighed as she felt his arms come around her, his head resting gently atop hers.

He held her tightly to him. “I’m not wanting this moment out here in the water with you to end. Even if we both know that’s impossible.”

“Best friends forever, Maxwell?”

“Best friends forever.” For a moment, they stood together, the waves lapping around them as the moonlight played over the water. He could feel her trembling fiercely against him. “Come on… let’s get you out of this water. That fire is burning really good now, so you can get warmed up…” They walked to the bonfire and sat together on the log in front of it, appreciating the crackling flames as they warmed their hands. Maxwell got up briefly to add more wood to build up the flames, staring at the fire momentarily before he spoke up again. “I never thought things would actually end up like this.”

“Who _did_? I mean, who actually foresaw a group of guys celebrating a bachelor party stumbling into a random bar one night, only to steal its favorite waitress—”

“You’re assuming you’re the favorite.”

“You _know_ I am.” She shoved him playfully. “And they take her off to this country to compete for the hand of their prince friend… but it doesn’t work out the way they planned, so she returns to life in New York to start a new chapter.”

“Yeah… I guess no one saw that coming…” He was quiet for a moment. “Spending time with you, though, has literally been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“You mean _the_ Maxwell Beaumont was not having fun all this time?”

He shrugged with a small smile. “I guess I never knew what I was missing until we met you…” Their eyes met, and the two of them sat in companionable silence until the fire finally died down.

A short while later, they returned to Carl’s home, standing at the doorstep as the stars twinkled dimly against the bright lights of the city.

“Well… here we are…” She looked hesitantly at the door, then back at him.

He hugged her to him. “Thank you for everything, Riley. Tonight was…” He pulled back, standing awkwardly away from the door. “…well, it was fun.”

“So… this is really goodbye then…” Riley hugged her arms to her, sadness entering her eyes.

“Riley, if this is really the _last_ , last time we see each other, I…” Maxwell fiddled with his bracelet, trying to find the right words. Nothing came to him as he found himself unconsciously drawing closer to her. He pulled her to him, embracing her fiercely. His hand reached over and tenderly brushed the hair from her face as he looked down to gaze intensely into her eyes. He had no words. Nothing could express the sight the beheld him—the stunning view of a woman with a heart so pure that it shamed the heavens, the moon’s glowing light radiating off her perfect skin, the intense piercing eyes that stared deep into his soul and made him remember he was worth something.

He took her face in his hands, gently stroking the sides of her face. And then he leaned his head down, softly meeting her lips in a deep, fervid kiss. No words spoken. Everything he needed to say was being said as his tongue melded with hers in a slow, heartfelt dance of passionate love and tenderness.

After several moments of heated bliss, they parted reluctantly, breathlessly, their foreheads leaning against one another. “Maxwell…” she breathed out, visibly stunned by his kiss.

“Goodbye, little blossom,” he whispered, holding back the flood of tears that threatened to burst through the dam he had put up against them. “I’ll never forget you…” _Or this night…_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“It’s been a pleasure, Rock Star.” Adam held his hand out to him. “Look us up if you’re ever in New York again.”

“Definitely. Thanks for everything, Adam.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Don’t think you’re sneaking out of the country without saying goodbye to me first!” Brandy’s arm snaked around his shoulders as she tugged him toward her for a big hug. “I’m gonna miss you, cutie!”

Maxwell smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t ever change, Brandy. No matter what these guys tell you.”

“Oh you know it! They won’t mess with me! I’ll knock ‘em all into the ground!”

Maxwell laughed as Adam turned from the stove and gave her a derisive grin. “Step in line, sweetheart. You got nothing on these.” He patted his biceps, flexing them for emphasis.

“Oooh, it’s on, baby!” Brandy and Adam immediately came together in a fierce arm-wrestle competition.

As the two of them battled back and forth in a severe deadlock, Maxwell looked around, noticing the light still on in the office. He quietly made his way back there and looked through the door’s window to find Daniel sitting on the couch, staring into a cup of coffee. He knocked softly and opened the door. “Hey, you’re missing quite the fight out there.”

“Heh. I’ve seen plenty of battles wherever Brandy’s concerned. She keeps things interesting around here, that’s for sure.”

“Everything okay?” He shut the door behind him, making himself comfortable on the couch next to Daniel.

Daniel continued to stare at his coffee for another moment before looking over at Maxwell. “Is it weird of me to think of you as friend even though we’ve barely known each other?”

“Not really… if you remember, it only took us a single night to steal Riley.” Maxwell laughed.

“True.” He smiled. “I guess what I really mean to say is, I’m gonna miss you.” He took a small drink of his coffee. “It was nice being able to talk with someone about things I haven’t been able to talk to anyone about.”

Maxwell put a hand on his shoulder and handed him his phone. “We can still talk, you know.”

“…Really?” Daniel slowly took the phone, entering his number into the contacts.

“Text me whatever… you know, guy troubles, girl troubles, psycho brother issues…” He grinned as Daniel chuckled. “…or random visions of baby hippos…”

“Oh god…” Daniel blushed immediately, hiding his face.

Maxwell laughed and grabbed him into a hug. “I told you you don’t have to be embarrassed. Don’t ever feel bad about yourself around me, okay?”

Perhaps. But he wasn’t about to admit out loud that being in close proximity to Maxwell in combination with the scent of his cologne was throwing Daniel into a momentary state of bliss. There were still lines one does not cross with one’s crush. He simply hugged him back. “Thanks, Maxwell…”

“Oh, here…” Maxwell dialed Daniel’s number, and his number popped up on Daniel’s phone. “There’s mine. You can give me a cool code name if you want.”

“A code name?” Daniel looked at him in amusement. “Remember the part about we still hardly know each other? What would I even call you?”

“How about Squid Master?”

“That is just wrong on _so_ many levels…”

“We’ll work on that.” Maxwell looked at his watch, exhaling slowly. “Well, I should start making my way back. Cordonia awaits.” His shoulders slumped as he stared at the floor, looking miserable.

Daniel hesitantly reached over and touched his knee. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out with Riley.” Maxwell nodded in response. “I can take you to the airport if you want. We can talk… or not talk… whatever you need before you have to leave.”

Maxwell looked at him gratefully. “Yeah. I think it would be good to have a friend there.”

Daniel patted his shoulder. “Come on then.”

The two of them walked out of the kitchen, stopping short as they saw Riley standing by the bar with Carl, her arm clutching her bag tightly to her side. “Hey…” She smiled slightly. “Still got room on that plane for one more?”

He just stared at her for a long moment, not saying anything. Then he laughed, pushing the handle of her bag off her shoulder and lifting her up in the air, swinging her around. When he brought her back down, he pulled her in, hugging her tightly, as the bar staff and patrons alike began cheering at the scene. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, little blossom,” he murmured against her ear.

There was so much commotion around them that no one noticed the dark figure rising from his seat in the back corner of the bar and quietly making his exit.


	23. Back In The Game

** Chapter 23: Back In The Game **

_Everybody’s gonna make mistakes  
But everybody’s got a choice to make  
Everybody needs a leap of faith  
When are you taking yours  
What are you waiting for?  
_ **_(Nickelback – “What Are You Waiting For”)_ **

“At least we’re getting a _proper_ goodbye this time…” Carl hugged Riley tightly, casting a smirk at Maxwell, who grinned apologetically.

“You know that was also _my_ decision too, right?” Riley muttered against him.

“Which was _his_ influence. I blame him.” He grinned, pulling back from her. “Now, in case you need any help with future decisions…” He presented her with a bag of mixed nuts, which she promptly threw back into his chest.

“Smart ass.” She rolled her eyes as he laughed out loud. Her expression softened as she reached out and touched his arm. “Hey, thanks for the talk…”

**_Last Night…_ **

Riley walked into the house, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it with a sigh. She was still stunned as she slowly moved her fingers across her lips. _That kiss…_ She was no longer sure what to make of things. He held her at arms length, said he couldn’t be with her, and then drops the most mind-blowing, passionate kiss on her right as he’s about to leave her behind for good. What was he trying to do to her?

A sound in the kitchen startled her, and she turned the corner to find Carl leaning with his hands pressed against the counter, staring down emotionlessly, looking exhausted. She slowly walked toward him, reaching her hand out. “…Carl?” His head snapped up, startled by her voice. “It’s okay… it’s just me. I just got back.”

“Riley. Hey…” He shook his head quickly for a moment. “Sorry, just a little out of it.”

She stood next to him, placing a hand over his, looking at fear still lingering in his eyes. “Did the nightmares come back?” she asked gently.

He glanced over at her. “Just tonight.” He returned his gaze to the counter.

She frowned as she studied his expression. “Maybe it _is_ a good thing I decided to stay in New York after all.”

He moved his head up to meet her eyes, glaring at her. “Don’t you _dare_ make this about me, baby sis. I can handle a few bad nights, with or without you.”

“I was just trying to—”

“Don’t.” There was a tense moment of silence between the two of them until finally he straightened and put an arm around her. “Come on. No sense in just standing around.” He led her over to the couch, sitting her down with him. “I don’t want you worrying about me, or using me as part of the deciding factor to remain here.” He looked her in the eyes. “I stand by what I promised. You have a home here as long as you need it. But is this _really_ what you want?”

“I don’t know anymore…” She leaned her head against his chest, sighing heavily.

He rubbed her back as they stayed quiet for a long moment. “You know, you _did_ seem to be in your element over there,” he mused, breaking the silence. “Have to admit, I had some pride in watching you on the news all the time. You always knew what to say. They were loving you. There were a couple other ladies that were okay, and then there were others that _really_ should not have been given air time. I mean, there’s one lady that had to bring up _poodles_ with every question they asked. _Poodles._ I thought Cordonia was some fruit country or whatever.”

Riley giggled. “That would be Penelope. And you’re thinking apples. Yes, they are _extremely_ obsessed with apples.”

He held his hand out as if he were holding a microphone. “That is a _stunning_ dress, Lady Penelope! Can you tell our viewers who designed it?” He heightened his voice to a mockingly high-pitched feminine voice and put his hand over his heart. “Oh, it’s an Ana de Luca style from ten years ago, but it reminded me of this one dress I had made for my poodle for her princess pageant! Do you like poodles? I have two of them at home. Did I mention how much I _love_ poodles?!” He let his hand fall and rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

“You know, Carl, if you wanted her number, you could just _ask_ ,” Riley teased, squealing a moment later as he reached over and tickled her.

“Very funny.” He gave her an amused smirk. “Now let’s get back to the _important_ issues… what would be the problem if you went back with Beaumont to Cordonia? You’d at least have the chance to clear up that mess the media has been making, right?”

“Well, there’s that, but…”

“But…?” He leaned his head down to face her.

“Aidan. I’d have to see him again at some point.”

“And you still care about him too.” He gave her a knowing look.

“I’m just so _angry_ at him.”

“You mean like you were with Beaumont?” Carl looked at her meaningfully. “Seems to me _both_ have done wrong in that area.”

“True… but if I go back… I just don’t know if I could face him right now. It’s just too much.”

“I think you’re already figuring out the answer then.” He hugged her tightly to him. “Maybe you owe it to yourself to find out who it is you love once and for all.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“Maybe it is. We could always try this scientifically.” He jumped up from the couch, heading back to the kitchen.

She followed him, looking at him curiously. “What are you talking about?”

He reached into the pantry, pulling out a container of mixed nuts. “These should work.”

“Excuse me?”

“We’re just going to use these to help you decide who is the better man, obviously.”

“I’m not deciding the fate of my love life with _nuts_ , Carl!”

He looked in the pantry again, pulling out another container. “I have a jar of pickles if that’s better.”

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Well, they’re both nuts with how they’ve been treating you. Nuts, it is. Now…” He pulled out a handful. “So, let’s start with romance. Either of them give off that romantic, love story, dream guy vibe you ladies always swoon over?” He shot her a look of derision. “That’s disgusting, by the way.”

“You _would_ think that.” She crossed her arms, smirking at him. “And to answer your question, _both_ of them do. Doesn’t exactly help with your _experiment_ here…”

“Fair enough. But we’re just getting started.” He split up equal portions of nuts into two small bowls. “So game on! So who makes you laugh and enjoy life more? Who makes you see that fun side of life?”

“That’s… easily Maxwell. He’s all over the place. But there’s never a dull moment with him.”

“Points for him then.” He added more nuts to one of the bowls. “How about honesty? Who’s been the most honest with their feelings? And if you tell me it’s Beaumont…”

“Fine… both have been pretty guarded… though Aidan _had_ been getting a lot more open in our conversations before I left. He even confessed to me that he loved me at the Coronation.”

“Big points. Just for that, he gets walnuts!”

“This is so lame…”

“Nope. It’s science!”

“It’s _lame_ science.”

“You want things to get interesting? Fine. Who do you see yourself… _you know_ …” A mischievous grin formed across his face.

“…I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.”

“Got it. You want to go at it with both of them.” She smacked his hand as he grabbed another handful of nuts. “Wait a minute…” He grinned as she blushed hard at his expression. “You already _have._ Off in Cordonia, playing the field… _God_ , I’m so proud of you right now!”

“Oh my god, shut _up_ , Carl!”

“So, does this mean you’re not going to answer who the better man is… in the name of _science_ , of course?” The amusement was radiating off his face.

“We’re _done_ , Carl!” She walked away from the counter, sitting back onto the couch.

He chuckled as he cleaned up the counter and returned to sit with her. “All right… I’ll get serious now.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, looking down at her. “Here’s what I think. If you go, you can at least have a chance at answering your own questions. And if it gets too much for you, you always have us to come home to. You’re never going to be alone, baby sis.” He kissed the top of her head, rubbing a hand down her arm. “Now if you _don’t_ go… well, you’ll just never know. If you can live with that, then stay. We’re here for you.”

She looked up, meeting his eyes. “Damn it… why do you always have to make sense?”

“Because I was born the smart one.” He laughed as she shoved him against the back of the couch. “Just _go_ already. You know you already made up your mind before you even walked in the door tonight.”

“…You think he’ll still want me to go?”

“Is that a _serious_ question?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

She smiled. “Well, it’s really late. We should really try to get some sleep.” She started to get up, but felt his arm holding her back down. She glanced over to see him staring down at the floor, absentmindedly rubbing his other hand across a spot on his chest. She put her hand over his. “…Carl?”

“You know… since this might be your last night and all… maybe we could sit and stay up a little longer. We don’t have to talk or anything…”

She knew that unmistakable look in his eyes. He wasn’t going to come and say it outright. He never did. She squeezed his hand and then reached behind them to grab the oversized afghan that hung over the couch. She wrapped it around the both of them and snuggled against him. “I’m right here. Just hang on to me.”

He relaxed, breathing out slowly as he pulled her in close. “I love you, baby sis.”

**_Back to Present Time…_ **

He put his hand over hers. “You can _always_ talk to me, baby sis. And…” He paused, squeezing her hand as he looked meaningfully at her. “I know you see me, and I’m just thankful you’ve been there, even if I didn’t want to say anything.”

“You can always call me for that too. You know that. I’ll sit in silence with you.”

“Well… I want to make sure you’re getting enough sleep over there too. I know it gets crazy. I still got Dan if I need anything.”

She smiled, then looked around. “Where’d he go anyway?”

“Probably hiding out with his new BFF.” Carl smirked. “Notice Beaumont isn’t around either.”

“And here I thought _I_ was his favorite.”

“Looks like you’ve been replaced, baby sis,” he chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked up the stairs into the private plane. There they found Daniel and Maxwell sitting in the lavish seats, scrolling through photos on Maxwell’s phone. “Told ya.”

Daniel looked up, waving as he noticed them coming in. “Hey! Maxwell’s just been showing me all his pictures of Riley’s tour. You look like you were having such a blast out there.” Maxwell placed his phone back in his pocket, and Daniel walked over to her, giving her a hug. “Guess you have to go now, right…?”

She stole a glance at Maxwell, who nodded in response. “Yeah, it’s that time… but we’ll find time to get back to New York again. I’m sure of it. In the meantime, we have our video chats to hold us over.” She hugged him fiercely. “I’ll miss you, little brother.” She felt Carl move up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist, squeezing her between the two of them. “Ugh… what is this? A Riley sandwich?”

“Very perceptive.”

Maxwell laughed. “Oh come on, Riley… we’ve had bigger group hugs than _that_.”

“You guys never tried to suffocate me!”

Carl shot a sarcastic glance at Maxwell. “Your group hugs need work, Beaumont. There’s no love if she can still breathe. Watch.” He squeezed her tighter against Daniel, and her arm came shooting out, promptly smacking him across the shoulder. “See?”

“Noted.” He watched in amusement, shaking his head. He glanced at his watch and looked at Riley. “Well… you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Carl released her and glanced over at Maxwell, holding his hand out. Maxwell slowly reached out and took it, nearly falling over as Carl pulled him forward into a one-armed hug and clapped him on the back. “Beaumont, you take good care of her out there. I don’t think I have to remind you that she’s something special to us.”

“Yeah…” He gave her a long look as he watched her settle into her seat while Daniel lingered nearby to talk with her. “Yeah, I know.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Bertrand!”

Bertrand gasped for breath as Riley flew out of limo, practically jumping on him and giving him a huge hug. “Lady Riley, please, do get ahold of yourself.”

She pulled back, grinning at him teasingly. “Oh come on, you missed me. Admit it.”

He straightened, adjusting the lapels of his blazer as he raised his large eyebrow at her. “I _suppose_ the absence of your presence was oddly… perceptible.” A hint of emotion flashed across his face, but quickly disappeared.

She shook her head, smiling. “I missed you too, Bertrand.”

“Yes. Well…” He glanced up as the driver removed the bags from the trunk. “Shall we?” Riley just stood there, giving him her widest grin. “…What is it?”

She pointed to her bag. “Bertrand, take my bag. Let’s go!”

“Your… _bag_?” He stared at her incredulously before his characteristic scowl returned to his face. “I’ll have you know I am _not_ your personal attendant.”

“Aww, come on… it’s a special occasion.”

Bertrand muttered something under his breath before begrudgingly picking up the bag. “… _Fine_. But this will be the one and _only_ time.”

“Thank you!” She beamed as she followed him and Maxwell into the Beaumont Estate. Her emotions cycled over and over inside her, changing back and forth from feeling right at home to feeling strange at returning. Maxwell eventually broke off from them to go make some phone calls, and Bertrand led her to her room, promptly setting the bag down and taking his leave.

She looked at her surroundings as she stepped back into her old room, a sense of familiarity beginning to settle back in. “Home sweet home…” she mumbled to no one in particular, as she picked her bag up, sitting it down on the bed, and began to unpack. Right as she’d just finished putting her belongings away, she heard a knock at her door. She opened it to find Bertrand had returned, now standing quietly on the other side. “Hey…”

“Lady Riley.” He nodded stiffly. “I trust that everything is in order.”

She side-glanced him. “Bertrand, do we really have to be so formal? We’re not at court right now. Surely you can relax just a _little_ for now?” She paused as he simply stared and rose his eyebrow. “…or… not?”

Bertrand cleared his throat. “We should talk about the next few weeks… Because of the plot against you, the press is currently having a field day smearing your name.”

“Trust me, I’ve noticed…”

“I’ll figure out how to best spin the media circus, but you will have to ensure your future behavior is impeccable…”

“And that means…?”

“We have a lot of work to do before the welcome party at Madeleine’s estate, and we haven’t a moment to lose. There’ll be no mistakes in your education. You’ll be learning as much about courtly behavior as you can before the tour kicks off. This time, you’ll be prepared for anything.” Now, it was his turn to pause as he looked thoughtfully at her. “…If I may be so bold, Lady Riley…”

_Bold? Really? Try wearing a different sweater vest, and maybe_ that _would be a start in the right direction_. She waited for a moment. “…Yes?”

“I…” He frowned thoughtfully and glanced back into the hallway before looking back at her. “Might we speak in private?”

All that just to ask to speak with her alone? Talk about anticlimactic. She gestured for him to enter the room, and he walked inside, shutting the door behind him. “What’s on your mind, Bertrand?”

He appeared to be in deep thought, as if choosing the next words he wanted to say carefully, before looking earnestly at her. “Forgive my impudence on the matter, Lady Riley, but I would like to be clear as to your _true_ intentions for returning to Cordonia.”

“What do you mean, Bertrand?”

He began to pace slowly about the room, his brow furrowed in thought. “I have no doubt of your ambition to clear your name and rid yourself of this scandal as soon as humanly possible. However…” He paused to look intently at her. “Do you still fully intend to pursue Aidan and the crown?”

“I…”

“While I do remember our last conversation on the matter, Lady Riley, I would like to believe I’m not as blind as you seem to think. This _friendship_ , or whatever it truly is, between yourself and my brother grows more obvious to me the more I see you two interact. Now tell me… is he the _someone else_ you were referring to on the night of the Coronation?” He watched as she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. “Ah. So it _is_ true…”

“Bertrand, I… I never meant for this to happen… but I just couldn’t help it.”

“My brother does have his _charms_ , I suppose…” A brief, thoughtful look flickered across his face before returning back to his brooding expression. “So what are your intentions then?”

“Well, that’s the thing… I don’t know right now. I just know that I care for both Aidan _and_ Maxwell, and I have to figure things out from there.”

“I see.” His hand stroked his chin thoughtfully as he turned to gaze out the window. “Well, I can’t quite say I _approve_ of this dalliance with my brother, moreso for _your_ sake, mind you…”

“Bertrand, if that’s a reference to his past…” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“It was.” He nodded as he turned back to face her. “But I wasn’t finished. I was going to say, that your presence changes him. It returns a light that I haven’t seen since… well, since…” A rare look of sentimentality crossed his face before he snapped himself back. “Never mind. Well, I suppose if you’ll be taking the time to sort your emotions, we shall proceed as if you are still pursing Aidan and the crown. I trust you will advise me as soon as you have your answers.”

“Of course.”

“Excellent. Now then, let us retire to the dining room. We can at least get you started on fork etiquette while you have some dinner.”

“Joy.” She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “Hey, Bertrand?”

He paused at the door, turning to face her. “Yes, Lady Riley?”

“Thank you.”

He nodded. “You can be assured what has been discussed here will remain between us.”

“Whoa, hey, did I miss the party?” Maxwell appeared in the doorway, grinning. “You guys know there’s tons of food waiting for us, right?”

“I was just informing Lady Riley of this,” Bertrand said casually. “Now, if you both would excuse me, I’ll meet you down there shortly.”

As he took his leave, Maxwell turned back to her, rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey, this may sound silly, but have you seen—”

“Sid?” She grinned as she presented the tiny squid to him. “Yeah, he somehow stowed away in _my_ luggage.”

“That little rascal…” he said jokingly as he took him from her hands. “Always getting into mischief.”

“Sounds like someone I know.”

He just smiled. “So… hungry?”

“ _Starving._ ”

“Then let us be off!” He bowed dramatically, gesturing with his hand for her to go ahead of him.

She laughed as she began walking in step with him. “Any idea on what the menu is going to be?”

“Who cares? You’re probably going to be too busy getting annoyed at Bertrand for lecturing you over using the wrong fork or wrong end of the napkin or _whatever_ with every single bite you take!” He grinned. “But how about this? Kitchen raid. Midnight. You and me. No courtly lessons and a wild smorgasburg of endless junk food!”

“That’s sounds heavenly!” She paused and looked at him. “Now when you say _junk food_ , you do mean _real_ junk food, right? Not a mysterious pile of caviar-spiced mess…”

“Hey, those appetizers were a masterpiece!”

“Yeah, well, I’m wanting the real deal… I’m talking cookie dough ice cream, gummi bears…”

“Oh, trust me. You’ll have the full junk food experience!”

“Perfect!” They walked another few moments before she paused in midstep. “Oh crap! I forgot to tell Carl and Daniel we got here okay.” She started to pull out her phone.

Maxwell waved his hand nonchalantly as he continued walking. “No problem, I already texted Daniel back when we landed.”

“…Wait, _what_?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For the next couple weeks, the three of them began preparing for the royal engagement tour, covering all manner of topics, including practicing the Cordonian Waltz at a minimum of thirty times a day…

“You’ve mastered the Cordonian Waltz… but your quickstep’s a bit, well…”  
“ _Slow._ ”  
“Let’s try that one again from the top!”  
“Quick, quick, glide… quick, quick, glide…”

…and mastering the art of tasting food and wine… because eating and drinking like normal human beings was considered barbaric…

“Hmmm, this cabernet is pretty good.”  
“That might have passed for a reaction in a dive bar in New York, but in the royal court, you’d be laughed out of the room!”  
She rolled her eyes, giving him a mocking smirk. “I _meant_ to say… the mouthfeel of this cabernet is velvety and full, with jammy stone-fruit flavors.”  
Maxwell laughed. “I can almost _taste_ the pretension. It’s perfect.”

Finally, on the last day before she and the brothers would return to court, Bertrand put her throught several long, grueling hours of table etiquette lessons. It was almost a relief when Maxwell randomly asked her to go jogging with him, though she couldn’t imagine they would be able to do anything long distance since they had been locked away at the estate.

“Maxwell? Not that I don’t mind a nice run, but seriously… why run laps around the estate? Isn’t it a little… I don’t know… tedious?”

Maxwell grinned as he jogged alongside her. “Think of it like that thing they do in movies, you know? Like when you’re getting ready for something?” He started humming and _dance-running_ —that was new—as they continued circling the estate, banging his fists in the air as if he was rocking a crazy drum solo. “Can’t you hear the beat, Riley?”

“Maxwell…” She quirked an amused eyebrow at him.

“Okay, I know it gets a little boring, but honestly, I just like going for the run… it’s good to clear the mind, you know? And it’s always nice to have some company.” He smiled at her. “We _are_ having fun together, right?”

“Yeah, yeah…” The two of them jogged in silence for several minutes. “These last few weeks have really flown by, and I keep wondering how our friends are doing. I literally haven’t heard anything.” She frowned, feeling a bit stung that no one else had bothered to contact her since her ordeal at the Coronation.

Maxwell glanced at her. “Well, I lost track of Hana in the chaos after the Coronation. I did hear she went back home though… And Aidan, well… the last time I actually spoke to him was at the Coronation as well. It was hard enough just convincing the palace guards to let us go to you, much less get in touch with anyone else. Besides, I’m sure it’s been crazy for him. The press wanting photos and interviews, the entire court vying for Lady Madeleine’s favor, the nobles congratulating Aidan, what have you…”

“And Drake…? I know you two had that fight…”

“I’d rather not think about that moment…” He kept his focus on the ground in front of him. “It doesn’t exactly sit well as one of my best moments…”

She looked at him, not saying anything as they ended their run, stopping to stretch in front of the house. “Ugh…” she groaned, as she moved to stretch her calves. “Today was a nightmare. If I have to look at another fork, I’m going to throw it into the wall… Who knew there’d be so many kinds?”

Maxwell chuckled. “Bertrand. He knows _all_ the forks. But cheer up. Lessons are over for now. We’ll be traveling to Madeleine’s estate tomorrow in Fydelia for the welcome party, and that’s when things will _really_ start happening…”

“Finally.” She stretched her arms above her head. “I’m ready to look into the blackmail note and get to the bottom of everything…” She paused as she brought her arms back down. “I really want to know why Aidan chose Madeleine. Did he have doubts and think that maybe I really _was_ seeing Tariq like the tabloids said?”

“Don’t be silly, Riley. This is _Aidan_ we’re talking about. He was there with all of us that night, remember?”

“I try _not_ to remember that night…”

“I get it…” Maxwell shook his head. “Well, Aidan was kind of in a tough spot since he had to choose _someone_ at the Coronation…”

“And that someone couldn’t have been me?”

“Well, no. Not really. Cordonia is a small kingdom, and we need to exhibit stability. Aidan more than anyone knows that he has to play by the rules… at least publicly.”

“I really want to know who set me up.” Riley clenched her jaw, glaring down at the ground. “When I get proof of who did this…”

A small, excited smile grew on Maxwell’s face. “You’re kind of scary when you’re mad…” _And it’s still sexy as hell._

“I’m just ready to get some answers.”

He clapped her affectionately on the shoulder. “Hey, we’ll all figure it out. We’re going to fight back, remember? It’ll be easier when we’re on the engagement tour with all the major players at court and can see how people act around you.”

“Yeah… I guess that’s not all that’s bothering me.”

“What else is on your mind?”

“Well, as I was mentioning before… it occurs to me these past few weeks, I haven’t heard a thing from anyone outside of House Beaumont… even when we were in New York. I thought I’d at least have heard from _some_ of our friends by now. It bothers me.”

“I know, and I’ve hardly spoken to anyone either besides you and Bertrand. The only other thing was that I’ve been sending the occasional update text to Drake to let him know how we’re doing. But, truth be told, we can’t really be—”

“Maybe I should try calling them…” she interrupted, shaking her head.

“Heavens, no!” Bertrand’s voice boomed behind them. “Do you really think it’s wise to be talking with them right now?” The two of them turned from their seat on the steps to see him standing in the entry doorway.

“But why?” She looked at him, confused.

He stepped toward her, his hands behind his back. “Riley, someone _wanted_ you to fail.”

“And you think it might have been one of them?”

“No, but you’d better be extra careful. Anything you say, text, or do may be used against you. Conversations are recorded. Texts are intercepted. If it’s written or spoken over a phone line, we must assume that it’s eventually fall into the wrong hands. Ergo, we must keep any electronic communications to a minimum.” He gave Maxwell a pointed look. “ _Including_ these purported _update_ texts…”

Riley frowned. “So I shouldn’t talk to my friends?”

“Actually, they’ll probably be very helpful to us. But if you do talk to them, do it all in person. You’ll get your chance tomorrow. I’d suggest you get some rest. We’re getting up early tomorrow, and we have a long journey ahead of us…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Riley piled out of the limo with Bertrand and Maxwell and onto the grand estate belonging to Countess Madeleine. She stared at the lush surroundings of the area and had to admit it was one of the most beautiful estates she had seen so far, even if it _did_ belong to Madeleine. “Wow, this is… something.”

Maxwell stood next to her, nodding in agreement. “Madeleine’s family home is considered one of the finest in Cordonia.”

“And, lucky for us, she’s been gracious enough to grant us rooms in the main house…” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Though I’m still not certain if we should take this as a good sign or not.”

“You mean she might be keeping her friends close but her enemies closer?”

“Precisely.”

Maxwell helped her carry her things to an even more extravagant room. “Well, this is lovely!” he observed, setting her bags down. “I kind of expected her to put you in a broom closet or something.”

Riley gave him a wry grin. “For all we know, this is what passes for a broom closet around here.”

“Good point. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the house looks like.”

“If we can be certain of anything, it’s that Madeleine will be going to great lengths to present a show of strength tonight,” Bertrand said.

“And Step One of said master plan… by trying to show off how rich she is!” Riley waved her hand around the room with flourish.

“It’s kind of working.” Maxwell was still staring at the room in awe. “This is amazing. I could stay here forever.”

Bertrand scowled at him. “This isn’t even your room.”

“Oh, right.”

“Don’t worry, Maxwell.” Riley rolled her eyes. “I bet this room is probably bugged anyway, knowing Madeleine.”

Paranoia immediately flashed across Bertrand’s face as he suspiciously glanced around the room and began to speak loudly into a vase. “An excellent reminder that we have nothing to hide, should anyone be listening. _The truth will come out!_ ”

Maxwell stared at him worriedly. “I think Riley was joking, Bertrand…”

“One can never be too careful. Now, you should get dressed for the welcome party. Remember, this is your grand re-entrance to courtly society. The others in court don’t know you’re here, so it’ll be quite a surprise… It’s imperative that you look your finest.”

“Let me guess…” Riley quirked an eyebrow. “I’m on my own for that.”

Bertrand held up a simple pink dress. “Actually, Maxwell insisted that we do our part. If you would?”

Riley took the dress and ducked into the closet to change, coming out a few minutes later. “How do I look?”

“Perfectly respectable. It’s dignified, it’s distinctive, plus, it’s designer.”

“And it was on sale…” Maxwell muttered under his breath.

“ _Maxwell!_ ”

“ _What?_ ”

“In any case…” Bertrand turned from glaring at his brother back to Riley. “…if you can’t come up with something better, I think this will be quite sufficient.”

Maxwell shook his head and went into the closet, returning a moment later with a short dark blue designer dress. “I also had one of the local shops send over a dress if you want another option…”

She reached for the dress. “Let me try it on…” She returned to the closet and tried the new dress on. It was a perfect fit. As she stepped out, she couldn’t help noticing how Maxwell’s eyes briefly lit up at the sight of her. “Well, if I’m going into a battlefield, I better have the best suit of armor!”

“You look stunning…” This was not going to be the easiest night for him. “No one’s gonna want to mess with you.” He glanced down at his watch, taking a deep breath. “Shall we head out? You look ready.”

“Believe me, I’m more than ready to clear my name.”

“We won’t rest until justice has been done, I can promise you that!”

“Thank you, Maxwell. Let’s wipe that smirk off Madeleine’s face. She thinks she’s won, but she has no idea who she’s messing with!”

“We’ll never let heartless evil have the last laugh!” He offered her his arm, giving a small bow. “My lady.”

She laughed, giving an exaggerated curtsy as she took his arm. “M’lord…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Moments later, the doors to the grand hall of Madeleine’s manor were thrown open, and Riley made her entrance with Maxwell at her side. Around the room, she could hear gasps as all eyes turned to her. Then the whispers began.

_“Oh my god!”  
_ “ _It’s Lady Riley!_ ”  
“ _Mon dieu! I can’t believe she’d dare show her face here…_ ”  
 _“Look at her all over Maxwell. Guess she can never get enough!”_

On one side of the room, the press immediately took note of her entrance.

“ _Lady Riley?_ ”  
“ _As fashionable as ever. She hasn’t missed a beat, even in social exile…_ ”  
“ _It’ll be interesting to see what Lady Riley intends to accomplish tonight…_ ”

Suddenly feeling nervous at the reactions around her, she tightened her hand on Maxwell’s arm. He looked down at her, grinning reassuringly. “ _You’re doing great_ ,” he whispered.

The sound of his voice instantly relaxed her, and she gave him a small grateful smile. “ _Thanks, Maxwell…_ ”

Before they could get too far, a refined older woman made her way over to them. Riley instantly felt Maxwell tense up beside her, despite the polite smile plastered on his face. Apparently he knew this woman… and however he knew her, it obviously had not been a pleasant experience. The woman flashed an overly-friendly smile towards her, while appearing to size her up as she spoke. “Excuse me. You must be the _infamous_ Lady Riley.”

“That’s right…” Riley eyed her warily as she lightly squeezed Maxwell’s arm.

“How bold of _you_ to attend… but it’d be a boring party without a little scandal, don’t you think?” She quirked an eyebrow, staring at her in amusement. “Welcome to Fydelia.”

Riley stared back, unimpressed. “Welcome? I suppose that must make you Madeleine’s mother.”

“That’s right. I suppose the family resemblance must be what gave me away… and hopefully not my age.” She let out an annoying cackle that sounded like a cross between a strangled donkey and a laughing hyena. “My name is Adelaide.”

Riley swept into her obligatory curtsy. “My Lady. It’s an honor to be here…”

Adelaide studied her for a long moment. “Hmm… the press said you were an uncouth American who jilted King Aidan… but now that I’ve met you, I’m not sure I believe them…” She turned and her gaze fell on Maxwell. Riley felt him tense up once again as Adelaide gave him a sultry smile. Seriously… Madeleine’s mother… hitting on _Maxwell_? “Now _you_. I believe everything they say about _you_ …” Her eyes literally scanned him from head to toe.

_Oh dear lord._ Riley resisted the urge to slap her.

Maxwell maintained his calm expression and nodded politely to her. “You’re looking lovely as ever, Lady Adelaide.”

“Lord Maxwell Beaumont, you have quite a bit of explaining to do!”

Riley stole a glance at him, a twinkle of amusement in her eye. _Yes. Yes, you do…_

“How is it that _I’m_ never invited to any of those Beaumont parties that I’ve heard so much about?”

_I could think of a few reasons…_

“Must’ve been a _terrible_ oversight on our part!” Maxwell replied coolly, with eyes that said _Sorry, not sorry!_

Adelaide huffed. “See to it that I’m on the guest list for the next one, if there are any more parties now that you’re more…” Her eyes fell on both Riley and Maxwell’s arms comfortably linked together. “…settled…” She pulled back with a look of disdain and regarded the two of them, a hand on each of their arms. “Well… don’t the two of you make a darling couple!”

Obviously, she was trying to rattle one or both of them, but it was a miserably failed design as Riley smiled and snuggled against Maxwell, intertwining her hand into his. “We _do_ look cute together, don’t we?”

“We do?” Maxwell looked down at her, startled at first before catching on. “I mean, _of course_ we do!”

“The cutest!” Riley grinned as she reached up and tapped his nose playfully.

Adelaide observed the two of them, the contempt seething out of her eyes. “Just… _adorable_.” She gestured towards the other end of the room. “Now, you should go pay your respects to Madeleine. Don’t let me keep you any longer.”

As Riley walked away with Maxwell, she leaned over to whisper, “I hope you don’t mind that I played along.”

“Oh!” He smiled awkwardly at her. “No, of course not. You know I’m always down for… whatever…”

“Things seemed a bit tense back there. What’s the story with _her_?”

He shot her a look that seemed to waiver between distress and nervousness. “Oh god… _Please_ don’t ask me about this…”

“That bad, huh?” She patted his arm. “Okay, we’ll just leave it.”

He nodded, taking a slow breath. “Now… game faces. It’s time to talk to Madeleine,” he said as they crossed the room and made their way over to her.

Madeleine raised an eyebrow ever-so-slightly as they approached. “Oh, Lady Riley, I’m so _pleased_ that your recent fall from grace didn’t keep you away. A lesser woman more well-versed in courtly politics might have gone into hiding. It’s so very brave of you to be here.”

Riley narrowed her eyes. “It’ll take more than a few lies to get rid of me.”

A small look of surprise crossed Madeleine’s face. “Oh my. So you’re _denying_ that the photos are real?”

“I was set up.”

“Uh-huh… and who would want to do that?”

“You tell me.” Riley stared pointedly at her.

“Oh, I’m sure I wouldn’t know…” Madeleine shrugged impassively. “I do wish you luck in clearing your name though.”

“Lady Madeleine, let’s not pretend that we like each other. We both know that you hate me. I’m surprised you even let me in the door.”

“Riley, you misunderstand me greatly. I don’t dislike you. Though I suppose I don’t _like_ you, either. The truth is, I feel perfectly neutral towards you. I acknowledge that you don’t fit in, but that’s about it. Like how I might feel towards a lamp I didn’t select, or a chair that doesn’t quite match the rest of the room.”

“Thanks.”

“But I’ll hardly think of you at all, I suspect. What with King Aidan and I being very much engaged. Isn’t that right, _darling_?” She glanced behind Riley with a smug smile on her face.

Riley’s breath caught in her throat, as emotions involuntarily flooded every part of her. This was it. She turned, feeling her heart beat faster in her chest. _Aidan…_

Aidan stood behind her, clearly stunned to see her standing there. “ _Riley?_ ” He caught himself, attempting to fix his expression back into polite King mode. “Ahem, I mean, _Lady_ Riley. I am surprised to see you… You look… well, as stunning as ever.”

Riley stared at him for a long moment. At first, she _really_ wanted to tell him, _Don’t think that I’ve forgiven you!_ , but she was not going to give Madeleine the satisfaction of seeing any discord between her and Aidan. At some point, they were just going to have to deal with this in private… if Madeleine ever let him off her leash. To Madeleine’s annoyance, she stepped forward, holding her hand out. “Aidan! Shouldn’t you greet your guest with a kiss?”

Aidan quietly took her hand, not taking his eyes off of her, and brushed his lips against it. “It’s quite a pleasure to see you here…”

“I’ve missed you…” The words slipped out of her before she realized it. _Damn it, Riley._

His eyes softened, sadness glimmering within them. “I’ve… I’ve missed you too. We need to—”

Madeleine placed a hand on his arm. “We _need_ to see to the rest of our guests, _sweetheart_.” She looped her arm in Aidan’s and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Being the royal couple of the hour has its obligations.” A hint of triumph crossed her lips as she stared purposely at Riley.

Aidan cast his eyes down. “Ah, right…”

Riley started to protest, but felt Maxwell subtly squeeze her hand. She nodded to both of them. “It was wonderful to see you both.”

Aidan nodded politely, still gazing in her direction. “Lady Riley. Lord Maxwell.” With one last look, he reluctantly walked off with Madeleine to circulate around the room.

Maxwell let out a deep breath. “We’ve got to be careful around Madeleine right now.”

Riley shook her head. “I really don’t know what came over me. I know I’m still angry at him—”

“But you’re still in love with him,” Maxwell finished, looking at her knowingly. The two of them looked at each other silently for a moment. “I… well… maybe you’ll get a chance to talk to him in private. Hey, I see Bertrand over by the tables. He must’ve found our seats.” He moved his gaze away from her quickly as they headed towards Bertrand.

Just before they got to their table, Kiara and Penelope crossed their path. Penelope practically squealed and grabbed a very shocked Riley in a big hug. “Riley! I’m so excited to see you! Ooh, I _love_ your dress. Is it new?”

“Ahem!” Kiara glared reproachfully at her. “Penelope, _what are you doing?_ Even if Lady Riley was someone we deigned to associate with, we’re on Madeleine’s side now, remember?”

Penelope slowly drew her arms back from Riley, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Oh… Right.”

Riley looked between the two of them. “You’re on _Madeleine’s_ side? But I thought we were friends!”

“We are!” Penelope insisted.

Kiara stared emotionlessly. “Friendship has nothing to do with it.”

“Okay, but seriously? She’s the worst.”

Penelope nodded in agreement. “And she doesn’t even like poodles!”

Kiara scowled at her. “Don’t start up on those dogs again.”

“But she called them mangy…”

“I don’t care what she said. Madeleine is going to be the queen. Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but she’s made us her ladies-in-waiting.”

Penelope looked back at Riley. “It’s a huge, huge honor. We’re basically her closest confidantes!”

“But that also means that we’re beholden to be loyal to her.”

A wry smile formed on Riley’s face. “I suppose that means you’re not sitting in the back of the room with us.”

“Hardly.” Kiara tossed her hair back, practically turning her nose up in the air. “Madeleine has placed us in a very high position of honor at her table.”

“I guess this means we won’t be exchanging Christmas cards this year?”

Penelope’s face fell. “But I _love_ Christmas cards…”

Kiara shot her a scathing look. “It’s _okay_ , Penelope. I’ll send you five. Now, forget about Lady Riley. She’s _beneath_ us.”

“Well…” Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I guess I’ll see you around then…”

“Well… probably not.” Penelope shrugged.

“We’re not even supposed to be talking to you right now. Especially with the _scandal_ ,” Kiara added.

“Yeah, actually, if Madeleine asks, tell her we really snubbed you, okay?”

Riley quirked an eyebrow. “Uh, sure… I guess thank you for letting me know.”

“It was the least we could do.”

“And we might even get in trouble for talking with you this long. Come on, Penelope. Madeleine’s looking this way.” Kiara took Penelope by the arm and the two made their way to the head table.

Maxwell looked at Riley as she stared disbelievingly at them, and he nudged her shoulder reassuringly. “Hey… it’s _their_ loss. We’re more fun than Madeleine’s table. Come on… Bertrand has our seats.”

The two of them met up with Bertrand in the back of the room, finding a seat next to him and filling him in. Bertrand shook his head, looking discouraged. “It seems Madeleine has wasted no time consolidating power. Unfortunately, she has us at a disadvantage. We don’t have anything to offer potential allies.”

“It’s okay!” Maxwell grinned enthusiastically. “We don’t need anyone else. We’ve got each other!”

Bertrand looked from Maxwell to Riley, then pinched the bridge of his nose with a mournful sigh. “God help us. House Beaumont is doomed.”

Riley glared at him. “ _Seriously_ , Bertrand? I did not just come all the way back from New York to have you give up on the first day already.”

“Well, I… I…” Bertrand stuttered.

“Come on, have a little faith. We’ve just got to figure out how to clear my name… Now that we’re at court, how’s that going?”

Bertrand sighed, shaking his head. The three of them fell quiet as servers brought around the first course of the meal. Once they had gone, Bertrand cleared his throat and continued. “I spoke briefly with some of the reporters. They haven’t been able to reach Tariq for comment. And obviously you haven’t given them an official statement yet. According to Ms. de Luca, your best chance at clearing your name is to compel Tariq to make a statement with you explaining the misunderstanding. Where do you think Tariq stands?”

Riley’s eyes grew furious at the mention of his name. “I think Tariq is a jerk. He tried to kiss me while I was in my underwear. I don’t even know where he got the idea that _I_ was somehow in love with _him_.”

“What a sleaze.” Maxwell’s eyes were filled with anger as he remembered that night. His hand automatically reached for hers, and she took it, giving it a small squeeze. The small gesture between them instantly brought on a sense of calm.

Bertrand, oblivious to their exchange, continued on. “No punishment shall be too harsh when we get our hands on him. But what matters most is if he’ll set the record straight.”

“I _think_ we could shame him into telling the truth,” Maxwell suggested.

“We’d better hope so. For all of our sakes.”

Riley sighed, looking between Maxwell and Bertrand. “As angry as I am, the rational side of me says that it’s _possible_ that Tariq got set up just like I did. I only say this because he seemed to think that I was in _his_ room, and that _I_ was somehow confessing my love to _him_.”

“Yeah…” Maxwell considered her words. “I’ve known Tariq a long time, and I don’t think he’s _ever_ made the first move. For what it’s worth… I think it might be possible he was genuinely confused.”

“Which would then mean we both got played.”

“Exactly!”

“He’s still an asshole though.”

“No arguments there.”

Bertrand cleared his throat. “No matter how we might feel about him, he _is_ the key to all of this. We need to find him and get him to make a statement.”

“Where do we start?” Riley asked.

“He’s been conspicuously absent since that night at the country manor. He didn’t come to our home, and he wasn’t even at the Coronation.”

Maxwell glanced around the room. “And I don’t see him here tonight.”

“Indeed. I asked around, and it appears that he’s left court. If he’s being used as a pawn, it’s likely that whoever set this up wanted him out of the way to prevent him from coming forward with the truth.”

“So… we need to find him.” Riley looked between them.

“Precisely. The sooner the better.”

Riley nodded, then looked over at Madeleine, who was currently feeding Aidan a bit of lobster from her fork, while wearing that sickeningly-sweet grin across her face. “Ugh… Anyone else just lose their appetite?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later, after dinner, Riley heard a knock at her door. She opened it to find Maxwell standing there with a bouquet of two dozen red roses and looked at him curiously. “I appreciate the thought, Maxwell, but I would think you’re already aware of my aversion to roses by now.”

Maxwell looked at her apologetically. “Not from me. Special delivery, actually. Housekeeping sent over a new centerpiece for your end table.”

“Well, maybe one of the other ladies would…” She looked closer at the flowers and spotted a piece of paper wrapped around one of the stems. “What’s this…” She pulled the note off and opened it up.

_I wouldn’t blame you if you’re furious with me, but please meet me so I can at least explain. I’ll be on the balcony outside my room in twenty minutes._

Maxwell looked over her shoulder. “That’s Aidan’s handwriting!”

Riley bit her lip, reading over the words again. “I guess I’ve got to go.”

“But… the hallway’s crowded with staff and nobles!” Maxwell frowned as he looked back out at the hallway outside her door. “Madeleine basically put you in the corner of the estate _farthest_ from Aidan. He must not have known.”

Riley eyed the window at the side of her room. “There’s more than one way out of here.”

Maxwell’s eyes widened, and he put a protective hand on her arm. “No way! I know what you’re thinking, Riley. That’s too dangerous. If you fall, you could really hurt yourself.”

She sighed, looking out the window. “Maybe you’re right… I’d better not chance it. I’m sure me falling out of a window is _exactly_ what Madeleine wants.”

Maxwell pulled her in for a small hug. “Hey… there’ll be other chances to talk to Aidan. Just get some rest for now.”

She looked up at him. “You going to stay a little longer?”

He shook his head, avoiding her eyes. “Riley, I don’t think it’s such a good idea…”

“Oh…” She cast her eyes down as they pulled apart. “Yeah, I… I guess not…”

He put a hand on her shoulder, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “I’ll see you in the morning… bright and early, okay?”

“Sure.”

As soon as the door shut, both of them leaned on either side of the door with a sigh, their palms nearly parallel to one another as they placed them against the ornate wood.

He knew it. He saw it the moment their eyes had reconnected in that ballroom. There was just no mistaking how much they loved each other. He needed to stop being her distraction. He needed to stop being selfish with his own desires. He needed to make sure that Aidan and Riley had their happily ever after, no matter what. He clenched his fists, trying to will the pain away as he forced himself to walk away from that door, from her, and from his heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley stared out the window for several minutes, re-thinking about making the jump. She knew Aidan would wait forever if he could help it. Finally, she hoisted herself out the window, climbed up the side of the building, and edged her way around, looking for his balcony. _I guess it would have helped if I had an idea on_ where _his balcony actually was._

She reached one balcony, cautiously peeking inside the area. _Oh dear god._ She had stumbled onto Bertrand’s quarters, and he was in the middle of changing shirts. Ignoring that shock that he actually had more than one shirt to change into, she was now no longer able to unsee what she had just laid her eyes on. She was sure somewhere she’d had a blow to the head because somehow, he didn’t look half bad without a shirt on. The man was nearly as fit and toned as his brother. Must be a Beaumont family trait… but still… _Bertrand_?! _Good god, keep moving, Riley… keep moving._

She shook her head and continued to move around the building until she reached yet another balcony. She grimaced as she took a glance into _that_ room. Adelaide strutting around in hideously gaudy lingerie while she spoke with some man in the background… What poor sap did _she_ pay to visit her room for this sordid soirée? She heard her talking again. Did she just call him the _Devil_? That would make perfect sense. Riley was starting to somewhat understand why Maxwell did not want to bring this woman up in conversation.

She almost wanted to turn around and return to her room. The horrid behind-the-scenes lives of nobility were getting to be a little much. Just ahead was another balcony. _Fine… if this isn’t it, I’m going back._ Dropping onto the other side of the balcony, she sighed in relief as she saw King Aidan staring off into the distance. “Finally,” she murmured.

He turned at the sound of her voice, an elated smile filling his face. “Riley!” He rushed to her and swept her into his arms, tenderly holding her close as he buried his face in her hair. “Riley… I never want to let you go.” His voice was thick with emotion.

The sound of his voice, the feeling of his arms around her, the love that radiated off of him enveloped her, and for a few moments, she had forgotten the feelings of betrayal she had felt. She had missed this. She missed _him_. She _needed_ more of him. She pulled his head down towards her, and their lips met. He eagerly responded, groaning in pleasure as she kissed him. “Oh, Riley…” he mumbled against her lips, as he reluctantly pulled away and looked at her. “I never want to stop… but we need to talk.” He shook his head, staring at her in wonder. “ _Damn_ , Lady Riley, how I’ve missed you…”

“Aidan… I missed you too.” Her hand reached up to touch his face. “I thought I might never see you again…” Her hand dropped as she shook her head and whispered, “You never should’ve let me go…”

“I wish I hadn’t. I wish every day that I had been able to do something different that night.” For a moment, they merely stared at one another. “Riley…” he breathed out, slowly reaching his hand out to brush against her cheek. “When I heard you went back to New York, I…”

She closed her eyes painfully, moving away from his touch. “What are we even doing here, Aidan? You’re an _engaged_ man… You _chose_ Madeleine. It’s done. We shouldn’t be doing this.”

He took her hands in his, gently rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. “Let me tell you why I chose Madeleine, Riley…” His deep blue eyes stared earnestly into hers. “Someone was willing to go to great lengths to set you up… To put you in a compromising position, to invade your privacy. To put you at risk. I still remember the mysterious missing lock on your door at Applewood.” His hands squeezed hers as anger entered his eyes. “I’ll never forget seeing you after what had happened that night. There is someone that is determined to prevent you from becoming queen, and they seem to have considerable resources and access to the royal court. And if I had stood there and chosen you, Riley, from then on, you’d be in danger. I wish I could say that the palace guards would protect you, but the truth is that they had already failed at the country estate. That entire building was meant to be secure. When I think that someone who meant you harm and ruin was able to manipulate the situation so meticulously… Lady Riley, it _terrifies_ me that they could’ve set you up for worse. I never told you about my mother.”

“You told me she died when you were young…”

“The details of her death were kept secret from the public, but she was poisoned. If I lost you, Riley… I will regret what I did at the Coronation for the rest of my life because it hurt you… And I’m so sorry that it happened as it did, but in that moment… The only way that I could think of to keep you safe was to make them think they’d won.”

“Aidan… you realize the last few weeks have been torture for me, right?”

Aidan squeezed her hands again gently. “Riley… I’m so, _so_ sorry. I know this must have been miserable for you.” He kissed her fingertips.

“I just wish you’d reached out to me sooner.”

“I wanted to, believe me. I can only imagine how difficult this entire ordeal must have been for you… but it was too dangerous to risk reaching out. In order for the entire gambit to work, it had to truly appear that I believed the photos and had severed ties with you. If it’s any consolation, I’ve thought about you every single minute of every single day since we parted.”

“Well, it’s _some_ consolation…” She managed a slight smile. Aidan leaned forward to kiss her, and she took a step back, holding her hand up. “Wait a second… you’re still engaged to Madeleine, aren’t you? Even if it’s not what’s in your heart…”

“That’s correct. But Madeleine and I have an understanding. She knows that I’m not in love with her.”

“She does?”

“Yes. And… she simply doesn’t care.”

“Really?”

“You don’t know Madeleine very well, but she’s uncompromisingly practical and as cunning as she is calculating. That’s the entire reason I picked her, actually.”

“What do you mean?”

“The night before the Coronation, she came to my room and proposed such an arrangement. She told me it was obvious that I was in love with you… but that regardless of my feelings, _she_ would be the best Queen for Cordonia. I could have the best of both worlds if I picked her. She’d be perfectly happy to let me continue our relationship… as long as she got to be queen.”

“Isn’t that suspicious?”

“It is… but there’s little I can do without proof. All I could think about in that moment was finding a way to keep you in my life.”

Riley looked down, feeling awkward. “So does that make me your _mistress_?”

“Hardly. It makes you the woman I love.”

“And nothing else weird, like ‘the other woman’?”

“Never.” His gaze bore into hers. “You are the _only_ woman that matters in my life, as far as I’m concerned.”

“And what about the future?”

“I got engaged to Madeleine to buy us time. Her hope is that nothing changes, and I simply end up marrying her. But my hope is that we’re able to uncover the traitor plotting against you and then…” Aidan locked his fingers through hers and kissed the back of her hand. “Nothing and no one else will stand between us.”

Riley’s mind instantly flashed back to the kiss she and Maxwell shared that final night they thought she was going to remain in New York. Yeah, this was not helping. She was right back to where she started—stuck in love between two men, and both paths came with a serious issue. One continued to deny the growing connection between them while the other was suggesting a secret relationship—neither of which was winning over the other at the moment…

“But we’ll need to be careful…” Aidan continued, interrupting her thoughts. “… _very_ careful. Before I met you, Lady Riley, my greatest fear was that I’d disappoint Cordonia and my family. But now… my greatest fear is that you’d come to some harm because of me. I’ll do anything I have to if it means stopping that from happening. For your safety, it must still appear that we’re no longer involved.”

Riley sighed, biting her lip as she looked up at him. “But for tonight…?”

“For tonight…” He moved a stray tendril of hair back from her face, staring down at her, the look of want and longing clear in his eyes. She pulled him close and held him to her, her heart racing as she felt the heat of his body against hers. She leaned in, kissing him deeply. He pulled back to look at her for a moment, then moved to trail kisses down her neck. “I’ll never get enough of you, Riley. I never want to let you go…”

“Maybe I never want you to let me go…”

Aidan pulled her closer to him. “Then I suppose we’ll be here forever.”

“I can think of far worse things.” He kissed her again, his hands running down her back, pulling her closer to him. “Aidan…”

“Thinking of this moment has consumed my thoughts the entire time we were apart…”

“Then we’d better make the most of it…”

“We _do_ have some lost time to make up for…”

She tugged at his shirt, pulling him close against her. “Kiss me like you _love_ me,” she whispered.

“That’s not going to be difficult,” he murmured, pulling back and cupping her face in his hands, staring at her intently. “Because I _do_ love you.” He leaned down, catching her lips in a deep, sweeping kiss that left her light-headed.

She laughed in delight as he picked her up and twirled her around. “I knew I was missing something these past few weeks.”

“I can’t imagine anything I want more than this…” He set her down, pulling her close and gently pressing his lips to hers again. She smiled into his kiss as the two of them swayed under the stars for a brief moment. A shout from some party-goers in the courtyard below startled the two of them apart. Reluctantly, Aidan pulled away from her, his eyes still closed as he rested his forehead against hers. “Maybe we’re too exposed out here…”

“Yeah…” She was interrupted as he kissed her one last time, his lips lingering on hers until she was left breathless. Then he stepped back, looking at her and smiling sadly. “What is it?”

“I told myself that at least I’d get to see you again. Even if we couldn’t have everything right away, that’d have to be enough for me. Until I can be sure of your safety, I know it’ll have to be.” He reached up to stroke her cheek, staring at her yearningly. “…But now? I’m not so sure I’ll be able to withstand it.”

Riley put her hand over his. “Then we’ll have to resolve this conspiracy quickly.”

“Agreed. Until then… good night, Lady Riley.” He took her hand in his, kissing it softly. “Take care of yourself. Your safety is all I care about now…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After another trek around the building, and avoiding further traumatization by _not_ looking in other noble’s bedrooms, Riley soon returned to her room, sighing with relief as she landed onto her balcony and leaned against the wall, thinking about everything that had just happened with Aidan. _What a mess…_

She reached over to her phone, immediately sending video chat requests to Carl and Daniel. Carl’s phone immediately came back as unavailable. She raised an eyebrow worriedly, but made a mental note to try him again later. Daniel picked up a moment later. “Hey, Riley!”

“Hey.”

“Uh oh. I know that look.” She watched as he settled himself against his couch. “What’s going on over there?”

She sighed and put her face in her hands. “I _hate_ this.”

“Ah, so you _did_ go back to the Maxwell versus Aidan dilemma again, huh?”

“Was there a chance that I _wasn’t_ going to? Ugh, what was I thinking?”

“Okay, Riley, look at me.”

She opened her hands just enough to peek through. “What?”

“Seriously… they’re both hot, they’re both sweet, and they both care about you… I mean, really, you can’t go wrong either way…” Daniel raised his hands, moving them up and down as if weighing a scale. “And _sliiiiight_ downside, they both have a hang-up or two to work out, but let’s not focus on that… The real question is going to be which one has _that edge_ over the other?”

“You’re not going to break out in nuts too, are you?”

“Huh?!”

She shook her head, smiling. “Ask Carl next time you talk to him.”

“Yeah, I just noticed he’s not on this call.”

“Well, I tried calling him too, but it just sent me back a message saying he was unavailable.” She looked at him, concerned. “That’s not usual for him.

“I’m sure he’s fine. He’s actually at work right now. Maybe he’s having to deal with a crazy customer who got mad because the plates are too red.”

She giggled. “Perhaps.” Her face grew serious. “I didn’t want to say anything, but the night before I left, I think he had another nightmare.”

“Really? How bad was it?”

“He seemed shaken, but he was okay otherwise. He was trying to put on that brave act as usual, like nothing was wrong.”

“Hmmm…” Daniel frowned. “Okay, yeah, I’ll go by his place later tonight. He’s closing at the bar right now. Luckily, it’s a Monday and he can take it easy after, if anything.”

“Hopefully that’s it. Just making sure he’s okay.”

“I’ll make sure of that! Don’t worry.” He looked at his watch thoughtfully. “You know what? I’ll head to the bar right now. I’m sure it’s nothing… but if it’ll make you feel better…”

She smiled. “Thanks, Daniel. I love you.”

“Love you too! I’ll call you back soon.” He blew her a kiss before disconnecting.

She stared at her phone for a moment before trying to dial Carl once more. Again, she received the same message. Subscriber unavailable. Daniel was probably right. He must be busy at work. It’s not like he could respond instantly to her every time she called. He had a life too. Still, she couldn’t help the nagging feeling something was wrong. She opened up a new message box, typing out a message to him.

**Riley:** I know I’m probably being overly sensitive on this.  
 **Riley:** But just humor me, okay?  
 **Riley:** Let me know that everything’s okay with you.  
 **Riley:** I love you. 😗❤

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_New York…_ **

Thank god it was Monday. Early closing night. He couldn’t wait to put everything to rest at the bar and just head home for the night. The last patron had left, Brandy had finished cleaning out the dining room, and he’d just cleaned up the kitchen. They’d made good time, he observed, as he glanced up at the clock.

“Are we good?” Brandy’s voice floated into the kitchen behind him.

“Yeah. You can take off if you’d like. I can handle the rest from here.”

He heard her hesitate, then walk into the room and step beside him, putting a tentative hand on his shoulder. “You’ve been looking tired the last few days, Carl. Is everything okay… _really_?”

He chuckled, patting her hand. “I’m fine, love. Just need to stop being up all night, if you know what I mean.” He shot her a wink.

She rolled her eyes and smacked the back of his head lightly. “Put that thing on a leash, Carl!”

“Hmm… is that _your_ kink, Brandy?”

“In your dreams, baby, in your dreams.” She put her hand on her hip and gave him a look, shaking her head. “All right… well, _try_ to get some rest tonight. You’re starting to look like hell.” She smirked. “Trust me, you’re bad enough _without_ it.”

He laughed, pulling her into a one-armed hug. “Yeah, yeah… good night, Brandy. See you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Carl.”

The bar fell into a deep silence as he stared straight ahead at nothing in particular. No one needed to hear about his nightmares that kept him up half the night. They didn’t happen as often as they used to, so he knew they’d pass at some point. It was just teetering on both extremes of terrifying and incredibly annoying. He was still a prisoner. His captors were coming for him again. He could hear the sounds of their footsteps coming down the hall to where he was held, slowly and deliberately. He was sure they purposely kept their speed at a slow pace to heighten the anticipation of their arrival. He closed his eyes, shaking his head to block it out. Unfortunately, he could still hear the footsteps.

His eyes snapped open. This was no longer a flashback. Someone was inside the bar. Brandy must have forgotten to lock the door when she’d left. He narrowed his eyes, his hand instinctively reaching for the knife in his back pocket. He didn’t like how ominous those footsteps sounded—very slow… cautious… searching…

He opened the door to the kitchen with a loud slam, preparing himself for whatever intruder had wandered inside. “We’re closed,” he announced loudly. Then he froze, his hand still at his back pocket as he stared in surprise at the mordant expression of the dark-eyed man dressed in black leather standing before him. “What are _you_ doing here?”

The man offered up a wry grin. “Is that any way to greet an old friend, brother?”

“Depends…” Carl folded his arms across his chest, returning the man’s grin with a derisive smirk. “…What are you _really_ after? You were never one for making social calls.”

“You always _were_ the smart one, Bennett.” He took a seat at the bar, leaning an arm casually on the counter.

Carl placed two glasses on the counter, pouring out some scotch into each of them. “And you always beat around the bush, Cloudy… so out with it.” He passed one of the glasses over to him.

“I tend to stick with _Claudius_ these days.” He raised the glass to him slightly, taking a drink.

“Is that supposed to be an improvement?”

“There’s that sense of humor. I’ve sure missed _that_.”

“Heh. Know what else you’re missing? Answering my question.” Carl eyed him suspiciously. “Why are you out here in the states? What’s your business here?”

“Never did like to waste time with the small talk, did you? Always liked that about you. Right to down to business.” Claudius took a small drink, pausing once again.

As he lifted his hand to drink, the sleeve of his jacket rose just enough for Carl to notice a tattoo of a strange symbol imprinted on top of his wrist. The hair on the back of his neck rose, and his blood ran cold as the tiny, imprinted words _Sons of Earth_ wrapped around the symbol. Trent’s haunting revelation immediately came back to him. _I just know they’re part of some weird group. Sons of something… I didn’t get it. I just know they were_ really _interested in Riley._

_Riley…_ He now knew the voice he’d recognized in the Liberty Bar’s alley. The man now sitting in front of him, the man whose team had fought in alliance with his against enemy factions for over three different tours overseas, the man that had just dared to call him _brother_ …

“I’m part of this new… _special forces_ group, I guess you could say.” Claudius took another sip of the scotch, then gave a cynical smile against the glass as he looked Carl in the eye. “And you’re still one of the best fighters we know from our days in battle.” Carl’s fist clenched tightly around the knife in his pocket as his other hand tensely wrapped around his glass of scotch. “So I came here to ask you to join us.”


	24. Reuniting

With his mind running through several thoughts a minute, Maxwell walked through the dark halls of the estate, meandering aimlessly along the dimly moonlit walls. Sleep was not being friendly to him tonight, not that it was a shock. His brother’s loud snoring in the next bed wasn’t exactly singing him off to slumber either. No… he was certain this tour was going to be no different from the last one—sleepless nights and haunted dreams. He was so lost in thought he just about crashed into an open door as it swung out into the hallway in front of him. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to be wandering this place with the malevolent succubus lurking about the halls?” Drake smirked at him.

Maxwell shook his head and glanced up to see that it was only a closet door that Drake had opened. “You seem to be taking the same risk… and thanks for _that!_ ”

Drake chuckled, obviously pleased with himself. “I’m not the one she has her sights set on… and I had to get your attention somehow. You make zombies look human.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“That was obvious… Come on…” Drake led him over to his room, and Maxwell sat down in one of the chairs near the balcony. Drake joined him a moment later, handing him a glass of whiskey from the mini bar. “ _Now_ we can relax…” He took a sip, studying his expression. “So… you got her to come back after all, huh?”

He frowned, looking sadly into his glass before taking a sip. “I obviously wasn’t enough to make her want to come back…”

“You sure about that?”

“She was all set to stay in New York. We spent one last night together, and we said our goodbyes. I still wasn’t able to tell her how I felt, but I kissed her that night. I… I’ve never kissed anyone like that before or felt the way I did in that moment… like _ever_.” He swallowed hard and took a large gulp of the whiskey, choking back a cough.

“Easy there.” Drake raised an eyebrow.

“When she changed her mind to return to Cordonia, I thought just _maybe_ … for once, I was that special one…” He gave a slight smile, but it quickly faded into sadness. “When I saw her with Aidan tonight, I knew my answer.”

“I see.” Drake took another sip, quietly mulling over Maxwell’s words. “Well… I mean, it _is_ her first night back after a few weeks away, and she hasn’t seen him since the Coronation…” A sarcastic smile curved his lips. “And she’s been stuck with _your_ ugly mug all this time. Guess I can’t blame her for running to Aidan for safety…”

A weak smile appeared on Maxwell’s face. “Heh… _thanks._ ”

“You’ll be fine, Maxwell.” Drake clapped him on the shoulder. “You two should really talk though. We all know where she and Aidan stand… Aidan’s made it very clear how he feels about her. But what about you?”

“I…” He lowered his head, clasping his hands behind his neck. “Drake, let’s be real, okay? I’m just someone she can have _fun_ with… I’m no one to have a _real_ future with… I have nothing to offer her compared to Aidan…” He sighed and looked back up at him. “It’s no contest. It’s always been this way. You know it as well as I do that he’s always come first.”

“If that’s how you want it to play out…”

“Shut up, Drake.” Maxwell shot a glare at him over his glass as he went to take another drink. “We both know if it were you, you’d step aside for Aidan too.”

Drake just stared at him quietly for a long moment, then turned his head to look outside the balcony window as he took a slow sip of his whiskey.

Maxwell’s eyes widened. “Drake!”

“That’s what the ladies tend to shout…” He smirked against his glass.

“No, seriously? You… and _Riley_?!”

“There was never a ‘me and Riley’…” Drake looked back over at him. “ _Yes_ , I admit I might have had a thing for her, and you’re right… I would have stepped aside for Aidan. But that really doesn’t matter since she never looked at me like that. She told me herself when I brought it up.” He paused to take a drink. “Don’t ask me when though…”

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, watching the view. Maxwell glanced back over at him. “Drake, I… I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t tell you that to get your pity.” He gave him an annoyed stare. “It’s her choice, and I’m happy to be her friend as long as that means she’s still a part of my life. At least I don’t have to _guess_ what she might be feeling…”

Maxwell sighed, looking down at his glass. “I… see your point. I just…”

“Stop.” Drake leaned forward. “I’ve been watching this go on since Aidan’s bachelor party. You and I both know that Aidan wasn’t the only one she had a connection with that night, whether you want to see it or not.” He let out a long breath. “Look, _I’m_ not her type. I never was. But you? I’m pretty sure there’s something there. We _all_ see it…” He paused, considering his words for a moment. “Well… _most_ of us. It all depends on you though.”

“Maybe…” Maxwell finished his drink thoughtfully and set the glass down. “I should try to get _some_ sleep.”

“Okay.” Drake nodded. “G’night, Maxwell.”

“Night, Drake…” He gave him a small smile. “And… thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“So I came here to ask you to join us…”

The silence was deafening in the bar as Claudius paused in mid-drink, gauging Carl’s reaction. Carl met his gaze in a hard stare, calmly picking up his glass and taking a small sip before bringing back down to the counter with a solid slam. “You really think I’m stupid, don’t you?”

“I don’t follow.”

Carl laughed under his breath, slowly making his way around the bar before violently shoving Claudius into the counter. “You’ve got about ten seconds to tell me what you were doing at the Liberty Bar before I kill you right here.”

Claudius broke out into a sneering grin. “See? That attention to detail is perfe—”

“Two seconds,” Carl growled, shoving forward, his knife grazing the skin of Claudius’ neck.

“All right… all right…” Claudius grabbed his wrist, pushing the knife away from him with a smirk. “Still handy with the blade as ever. That’s why we need someone like you.”

“The _hell_ you do. Now get on with it.”

Claudius grew silent as his eyes scanned the room to make sure the two of them were alone. “It was for her protection. They were coming for her.” He shot a glare at him. “When I saw you arrive in that alley, I realized who she was to you and backed off, thinking she’d be safe in your hands. But then you just sent her right back into the heart of tyranny and into the hands of those of intend to do her harm.”

“Bullshit.” Carl narrowed his eyes as he cautiously held his knife to his side. “I just spent a few days with one of them, and I know there’s no way he would hurt her.”

“He’s only one of many of their pawns in this game.” Claudius reached back toward the counter to take another drink. “The real enemies are the ones sitting in that palace… I’m talking the royal family.”

“Wait a minute… you’re talking about Aidan?”

“You catch on quick.” He held his glass to his lips, staring ahead at the wall as his voice began taking on a darker tone. “Aidan is next in line from his father, Constantine. That entire family has terrorized our people in ways you couldn’t imagine. Cordonia may look like this peaceful, happy country, but there is a side the royal family and the media will not allow anyone to see.”

Carl raised an eyebrow and finally reached for his glass, taking a small sip. “As twisted as your story sounds, somehow I don’t think he’s out to get her either.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, my friend. And my people have proof.” Claudius looked him in the eye as he slowly took another sip of his drink. “Who do you think orchestrated that media scandal against her?”

A sick feeling began to enter his stomach. “What the hell are you saying, Claudius?”

“I’m saying Aidan and his family never wanted Riley to be the queen. It was always Madeleine. They just had to play their cards right. They needed photos for a scandal, and for those photos to happen…” He trailed off and stared at Carl, leaving him to put the rest of the pieces together in his head.

Rage engulfed his eyes, and he cursed under his breath as he slammed his hand against the counter. He still had never met Aidan and could only go by what he had heard from Riley. He had hoped Riley was a better judge of character than that, but perhaps the man was just too good. He glanced back over at Claudius. “So where do we go from here then?”

“As I said… _join us_ , Carl. Help us take our country back, and at the same time, you can protect Riley.” Claudius raised his glass to him. “What do you say? Are you in?”

“So let me get this straight…” Carl stared down at his drink, tapping his fingers against the glass as he mulled over the weight of his request. “You’re telling me you want me to join you… to help you usurp this kingdom? That’s some serious treason on your end, and some major international trouble for me to get involved in. Have you really thought this through?”

Claudius just smiled as he finished his drink. “You have no idea the amount of resources we’ve acquired and have at the ready for this mission. We’re ready to execute as soon as the next tour begins.”

“All right.” Carl nodded slowly as he quietly finished his drink. “Count me in.”

“I knew I could count on you.” Claudius clapped him on the shoulder and handed him a scrap of paper. “I’ll let you get things in order. Meet me here at twenty-one hundred. We depart for Cordonia there.” Without another word, he quietly slipped out of the bar as if he had never been there.

Carl stared down at the seat where Claudius had just been sitting, replaying their conversation over in his head. Everything he’d said made sense and he made a worthy case, and yet Carl couldn’t help the gnawing feeling in his gut that something was very wrong with this whole thing. Inside, he already knew he was headed for trouble, but he also had an open window to protect Riley if she was indeed in the kind of danger that Claudius claimed she was in. He just needed to play this right. Trust no one.

“Carl?” Daniel’s voice floated into the bar. “Are you still here?”

“Over here.” Carl hastily placed the used glasses out of sight below the counter.

Daniel appeared into view, looking concerned. “Hey… we’ve been trying to reach you. Is everything okay?”

Carl stared at him for a long moment, knowing the conversation they were about to have was not going to be easy. While Brandy and Adam were as good of friends as any to him, Daniel was just never as close to them as he had been with him and Riley. Since Riley had been off in Cordonia, it was just the two of them, and now he too was going to be leaving.

“Carl…?”

He sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. “Dan… we need to talk.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley woke up early in the morning to the sound of someone knocking on her door. Glancing sleepily at her window, she could see the sun barely starting to rise over the horizon. _Ugh… it’s too early for this already._ She threw the covers off and stumbled over toward the door as the insistent knocking continued. “Okay, _okay_ , Maxwell! I’m coming… no need to break down the door!” She threw the door open with an annoyed glare, fully expecting to see Maxwell. “You know, you really could…” She trailed off as she caught sight of her new visitor. “Hana?!”

“Riley!” Hana held her arms open excitedly. Riley just froze in the doorway, gawking, and Hana giggled. “You’re not usually one for speechlessness…”

Riley rushed over to Hana and wrapped her in a big hug. “Oh my god, I thought you were _gone!_ ”

“I missed you too.” Hana laughed.

She ushered Hana into her room. “I thought you weren’t coming back…”

“To be honest, neither did I.”

“Your parents called you home. Do they know you’re here?”

“I’m actually here with their blessing. My father received a call from Countess Madeleine officially inviting me to stay in Cordonia as part of her entourage. She promised the court would find me a match worthy of the family name.”

“That’s great!”

“It is… but… Cordonia wouldn’t have been the same without you. I delayed my arrival just thinking about it. Then I heard you’d returned, and I couldn’t come here fast enough. You’re the _real_ reason I want to be here. What made you decide to come back?”

“I’ve returned to clear my name. The whole scheme was set up by someone looking to discredit me. If I can find Tariq, I can have him issue a statement that proves I was framed. Then maybe I can also figure out who’s plotting against me and who set me up, and I _will_ make them pay.”

“I want to help you find anyone who _dared_ to plot against you.” Hana’s voice had an uncharacteristically angry edge to it.

Riley looked at her in surprise. “Hana, it’s not like you to get angry…”

“They hurt my best friend. I’m not going to just forgive that.” The angry look on her face remained for another moment before settling back into her normal calm expression. “You should be careful, though. It seems like you’ve got powerful enemies here. I hate the idea of anyone scheming against you.” She put placed a hand on her arm, squeezing it lightly. “Anyway, have you seen Drake yet? He wouldn’t stop going on about how we need to take action and find out who set you up.”

“Not yet…”

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Riley opened it to reveal Maxwell. “Rise and—” His jaw dropped as his eyes fell on Riley’s morning visitor. “Hana!”

Hana smiled. “Hey, Maxwell.”

He ran up and grabbed her into a huge hug. “And Bertrand said we’d never see you again!”

“It’s good to see you too.”

“I assume you’re here because it’s time to get ready?” Riley asked.

“That’s exactly right! If you’ll please follow me to the boutique, it’s time to make yourself flawless for the engagement party.”

“Oh…” Hana grinned. “Mind if I accompany you? For old time’s sake?”

“Please,” Riley laughed. “Changing hasn’t been quite the same without you.”

Maxwell led them over to the estate’s boutique. “Well, here we are.” He glanced over at Hana. “I assume you can take it from here. You two enjoy yourselves. I’ll be prepping with Bertrand.”

He quickly made his exit, leaving Riley and Hana in the boutique. Riley stared after him for a moment and sighed quietly. Hana gave her a knowing look. “Are you two… okay?”

“I don’t know…” She sighed, as she began searching aimlessly through the racks for suitable clothes. “I’m pretty sure I pushed him back into his shell somewhere.”

Hana nodded sympathetically. “And what of Aidan? You’ve been here a day already… how have things been? With the whole Madeleine thing?”

“Enjoyable, actually.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Really? I thought you’d be more… _upset_.”

Riley shrugged, still looking through the racks of dresses. “It’s not great, but throwing a fit won’t help me clear my name.” She pulled out a dress to examine it.

Hana continued to stare at her disbelievingly. “…You’re really strong. I’m not sure I’d be able to remain so calm in a situation like this…”

Riley sighed in exasperation and threw the dress she was holding down. “Are you kidding? It’s torture! It’s awful… This wasn’t how I pictured everything going…” She shook her head and bent down to pick the dress back up.

Hana gave her a sympathetic look. “I can’t even imagine how you must feel… You don’t deserve this… Any of it. We’ll make it right somehow.”

“Yeah… well, having you back is a start. It’s much better now that you’re here.”

“Then I arrived not a moment too soon. I promise I’m here until you’re settled.”

“We’re the dynamic duo!” Riley grinned as Hana laughed. “Now. What do you wear to an event where your rival is engaged to the prince you were supposed to marry?”

Hana rifled through the dresses on her side. “I think you wear something… _pink_!” She pulled a dress from a rack and handed it to Riley. “You know you’d turn heads at the party with this dress… maybe even show up Madeleine in her own home.”

“I can’t really argue with your taste.” She ducked behind a screen to put it on, stepping out a moment later and grinning at the amazed look on Hana’s face.

“Oh… Riley… You look…”

Riley frowned. “A little stuck, unfortunately. Can you help with the zipper? I can’t get it up all the way.”

“There you go.” Hana moved behind her and easily slid the zipper up. “Well, you’ll certainly catch more than _Aidan’s_ eye in this dress…”

Riley turned around, catching a knowing look in her eye and sighed. “Catching a certain someone else’s eye has never been the issue. It’s getting him to finally _say something_ that’s the problem.” She took a glance at herself in the mirror and smoothed down the dress. “I can’t do this forever, Hana… and Aidan is a perfectly good man…”

“He is…” Hana nodded slowly. “Though now you have a different dilemma…”

“Yeah…” Riley frowned as she touched up her hair, then looked back at Hana. “So… this might be an awkward time to ask, but do you parents approve of our friendship now? I mean, with the plot against me…”

Hana sighed. “Not… exactly.”

Riley looked at her sadly. “So… should I stay away from you?”

“My parents mean the world to me…” A defiant smile formed across her lips. “…but they’re never going to stop me from spending time with you.”

“I _like_ rebel-against-parents Hana.”

“Besides, it’s all fake. We’ll clear your name, and then it won’t be an issue.” She helped Riley smooth out the dress and then gestured toward the door. “So… let’s go out to the party and mingle!”

“Right!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A tall, built man pushed through the kitchen door of the Spicy Apple, startling Adam as he was cooking orders. “Hey,” he said, looking annoyed. “This area is for employees only. You’ll need to go back to the dining area if you want to place an order.”

The man simply stared at him. “I’m not here for food.”

Adam kept his hand wrapped around his kitchen knife, staring him down. “I don’t care what you’re here for. You need to leave.”

“Just tell me where to find Carl Bennett, and I’ll be on my way.”

“If you don’t leave ri—”

At that moment, Brandy burst through the door and quickly surveyed the scene. “ _Excuse me…_ do I need to break out in my deadly ninja moves?” She proceeded to wave her arms wildly and make screeching sounds similar to a parrot making love to a wild hog.

The stony expression on the man’s face nearly crumbled as he watched her, clearly entertained by the performance. “Bennett _did_ mention he was working with an odd crew these days…” He held out a hand to Adam. “Kyle Edwards. I served with Carl overseas.”

“Oh.” Adam gave a look of embarrassment as he shook his hand. “Yeah, he mentioned you’d be coming by… Sorry about the… uh…”

“Think nothing of it. Good to know the new crew has his back… however unorthodox the methods,” Kyle said with a chuckle, as he turned to Brandy. “And my dear, if you don’t kill off any _real_ enemies with those moves, you’ll certainly kill them with laughter.”

Brandy opened her mouth to respond when two hands came down on her shoulders from behind, making her jump. “Are you causing trouble again, Brandy?” Carl’s amused voice boomed out.

“Damn you, Carl!” She spun around and punched his arm.

“Nice one. Next time, try and actually _hit_ me.”

“Oh, _snap!_ ” Adam laughed and immediately turned back to the stove.

“Trust me, Carl… you don’t want me to actually hurt you.”

Carl leaned toward her with a mischievous wink. “Sure I do… I bet I’ll _like_ it.”

“Ugggggh!” She shook her head and hugged him. “I’ll have no one to hate while you’re gone.”

“I’ll send nudes.”

“Oh _god_.”

“That’s what they call me.”

Kyle glanced at Adam. “So, is this a…”

“Yup. Nightly entertainment. I’d make you some popcorn for the show, but it’s not exactly a menu item…” The two men shared a laugh and watched as Brandy finally returned to the dining room.

Carl clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “Edwards. Long time, no see.”

“And who’s fault is that?” Kyle smirked at him. “I’m only in the next city, brother. We could stand to visit a little more often.”

“Maybe when I get back… but for now, let’s do this…”

“Right.” Kyle followed Carl into the back office, shutting the door behind them and covering the door’s window for privacy. “I can’t believe you’re doing this, Bennett. What did that idiot tell you?”

“Does it matter?”

“You’re _damned_ right it matters.” The friendly expression on his face had quickly been replaced with anger. “This man wants to murder his own king and take over his country. He’s coming to _our_ country, to recruit _our_ team to help him with this…”

“That _is_ interesting that he’s sought us out in particular, isn’t it…”

“What can I say, Bennett? We’re the best. And he knows it.” Kyle leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. “At least _most_ of us had the good sense to tell him to fuck off.”

“I don’t really see any other choice on my end.”

“Explain.”

“Let me start from the beginning…” Carl began to tell him what he knew, from Riley’s attempted kidnapping, to being followed around, and the details of Claudius’ visit.

As he finished, he could see Kyle putting a hand over his mouth and narrowing his eyes angrily. “I don’t know what he’s planning, but you’re right not to trust him.” He pulled up the bag he was carrying and opened it up. “Luckily… you have me on your side.”

“It’s the reason I called you.”

“Fair warning… the other one of us I hear he was able to recruit was Tanner.” Kyle paused from rummaging through his bag to glance up at him.

“Didn’t exactly plan on making any friends while I was over there. I guess that just seals the deal.”

“He’s still one of _us_ ,” Kyle pointed out. “You’d do well to remember that while you’re over there and set your Jody issues aside until you’re back home again.” He began going through his bag again. “That man could shoot a shot glass while tanked-up and standing a mile out. And you… no one could come near you with that blade in your hand. The two of you were the deadlist combo anyone ever knew.” He shook his head. “I mean, until that day we all got ambus—”

“I didn’t come here to reminisce,” Carl interrupted with edge in his voice. “I don’t have much time.”

“Right…” Kyle pulled out a phone and handed it to him. “Signal’s encrypted. No one will be able to break through to trace you. It will also alert you if someone does indeed try to break through so you can cut them off.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“I’m good at what I do. There’s no way I was giving that to Claudius’ cause though. I don’t even want to think about what he’d use my expertise for over there.” He held the bag out towards Carl. “There’s a few more things in there that might come in handy, but I know the phone was what you were most needing.”

“Thanks for this.” Carl glanced at his watch. “I should get going. I gotta meet him soon.”

“Just one thing before you go off on this suicide mission …” Kyle straightened, looking him in the eye. “We’ve all been dealing with what happened for years now, but I know you’ve been handling all this on your own… and yet you’re the one who sacrificed and saved our lives out th—”

“You know _damned_ well it wasn’t me who sacrificed. It was Harte.” Carl interrupted angrily, his eyes darkening as he clenched his fist and looked away. “Now can we move on?”

“You _both_ did, Bennett. He lost his life. And the things they did to you—”

“Are we _through_ here?”

Kyle sighed. “Look… we’re all still here. You should come talk with us sometime. It may do you some good. I know you suffered the worst of us, but… just know you’re know not the only one suffering out there, brother. We’re here for you.”

“I wasn’t aware this was turning into therapy hour,” Carl growled defensively. “Everything’s fine. _I’m_ fine.” He grabbed the bag that Kyle held out to him and paused to look at him. “Thanks for your help.”

“Of course.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “I know I’m not over there with you guys, but if there’s anything, and I mean _anything_ , I can do to help you from here, name it. I got your back, brother.”

“Appreciate it.”

After another round of goodbyes, Carl finally made his way out of the Spicy Apple. Damn that Kyle Edwards. He was the perfect example of why he avoided reuniting with anyone on his former team. All this talking and reminiscing kept them trapped in the past, and they were wanting him to join them in that misery. No way. He was much better off trying to stay away from it. The flashbacks were annoying enough as it is… all the imagery, the smells, the sounds… He stared off into the distance for a brief moment as the haunting sounds of Bradley Harte’s piercing screams lit up the night. He shook his head to snap out of it. “I’m _fine_ ,” he repeated through clenched teeth, steadying his breathing.

“Are you really?” a quiet voice asked behind him.

He turned to find Daniel had slipped outside the door and was now standing barely a few feet away from him with a despondent stare. “Dan…”

“They’re coming back, aren’t they?”

“It’s just a few bad nights, Dan. I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” He put a hand on his shoulder. “I swear… I’ll be fine.”

Daniel swallowed hard, fighting back the immense pressure of emotion that was building up behind his eyes. “You won’t even tell me where you’re going. You’re not acting like yourself. Whatever this is is a big secret, and you don’t even want me or _Riley_ to know about it. Something’s wrong, and I hate that you can’t talk to us about this.”

“It’s complicated, Dan…”

“Carl, you know I don’t care how bad of trouble you’re in. You can tell me anything.”

“Not this time, little brother. It’s safer for everyone this way… trust me on this.”

“Carl, the last time you left us, we almost didn’t get you back… and when we did, it seemed like forever before we finally got _you_ back…” His voice finally broke. “I can’t lose you… or Riley… I mean, what if…”

“Hey, hey, none of that now… we got to be strong, little brother.” Carl exhaled slowly as he ran a hand through his hair, and he watched as Daniel struggled fiercely to hold back his emotions. “Oh hell, get over here.” He grabbed him into a tight hug and inwardly sighed as he listened to a sob escape Daniel’s throat against him. “It’s going to be okay, Dan. I’ll be checking in with you two from time to time. And I promise I’ll come back home in one piece once this whole thing is over.”

“Okay…” Daniel mumbled half-heartedly as he stepped back, sniffling loudly and rubbing the back of his hand across his eyes, trying to put on a brave face.

“Hey…” Carl flashed a grin as he lightly pushed a fist against Daniel’s shoulder. “You tell Adam he better not mess up my kitchen while I’m gone.”

“Heh.” A small smile broke out on Daniel’s face. “I’ll be sure to give him the message…”

Carl glanced at his watch again and looked down the street. “I guess I’ve stalled long enough.” He looked back over at Daniel, whose smile had faded back into sadness, and he reached over to bring him into another hug. “I guess I could suffer through one more for your benefit…”

“Because my big tough brother hates hugs…” Daniel smirked.

“You got that right.” Carl tightened the hug and then clapped him on the back, exhaling loudly as he pulled back. “Goodbye, Dan.”

“…Bye, Carl…” Daniel watched after him sadly.

Carl looked at the area around him before pressing forward to meet with Claudius, saying a silent prayer that he would be able to return home to see it all again. He could feel Daniel’s eyes watching him the whole way as he made his way down the street. _Forgive me, little brother._ He fought the urge to look back. _I only hope I can keep my promise._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley and Hana made their way outside where nobles were busy socializing on the lawn. Across the grounds, Madeleine and Aidan were chatting with Constantine and Regina. Madeleine quickly spotted the two of them, with her resting bitch face clearly lingering on Riley’s choice of dress. Riley simply smiled and waved politely at her. Madeleine immediately turned her head away and grabbed her drink. “Excuse me everyone, I would like to propose a toast.” The crowd grew quiet as the nobles turned their heads toward her. “First, to each and every one of you for celebrating our engagement. Secondly, to our King Father, Constantine, our Queen Mother, Regina, and my mother for their support.”

Adelaide giggled into her glass of champagne. “Oh, think nothing of it, hun.”

Madeleine gave a saccharine smile down to Aidan. “And lastly, to you, my darling. I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side.”

Aidan smiled in return, responding politely and seemingly rehearsed. “I’m ever grateful to have you with me.” Madeleine sipped her drink with the other guests, then leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

“Oh, honey.” Adelaide rolled her eyes. “Pecks on the cheek are sweet, but he’s your partner now. Kiss him like you mean it or I’ll do it for you.”

Aidan’s eyes grew slightly wide, and he clearly looked uncomfortable. “That’s… quite alright.”

“Mother!” Madeleine shot a glare at her. “We’re in public.”

Adelaide chugged down her champagne and waved her glass in the air to signal for a refill. “That’s never stopped _me_!” She winked at Aidan, who smiled awkwardly at her.

_Oh god, not him too…_ Riley quirked an eyebrow at the scene.

“Now, Adelaide, I don’t think that’s the kind of support Madeleine was toasting,” King Constantine chided smoothly.

“Oh, it’s fine.” Adelaide waved her hand dismissively. “She needs a little prodding every now and then.”

“Well, we should have many years together ahead of us,” Queen Regina said, sipping her champagne slowly. “I’m sure we’ll see her come out of her shell eventually.”

Madeleine looked between the three of them with annoyance and excused herself from the conversation, making a beeline for Riley and Hana. “Lady Hana, I’m happy to see you’ve arrived.”

“It’s an honor to be here. Thank you for the invitation back to court.”

“And with Lady Riley here as well…” She turned to face Riley, giving her a critical eye. “I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a familiar face.”

“It’s certainly nice to see Hana…”

“You know, if it wasn’t for _me_ , she’d still be on the other side of the world. I’ve heard that dogs remember those who feed them. I hope you’ll keep this is mind and remember that dear Hana is here by _my_ personal invitation.”

Riley looked at her suspiciously. “Why _did_ you invite Hana back to court?”

“Hana’s talented, no? I can think of plenty of uses for her.”

“There’s more to her than just _uses_ ,” Riley spat out with a glare.

“Come now, even you benefit, Lady Riley. It’s nice to have your friend back, isn’t it?”

“I _doubt_ you did this for my benefit.”

“The competition’s over. We don’t need to scheme behind each other’s backs anymore. You could just say _thank you_.”

“You don’t have to be so uptight about it… Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful.”

“Then maybe you could stand to show it a little more. Like Hana.”

Hana looked between the two of them uncomfortably. “It… _is_ a great honor…”

Riley glanced at her before turning back to face Madeleine. “Hana’s _always_ polite.”

“Exactly.” Madeleine gave her a condescending smile. “I want people to _always_ be polite. So when I invite your friend back to court, _you_ say…”

Riley curtsied and waved her arm dramatically. “ _Madeleine_! O’ great Madeleine, Countess of Wherever… Two-Time Future Queen of Cordonia, let me humbly _thank_ you!!!”

Madeleine gave her an annoyed stare. “Cute.”

Riley straightened and crossed her arms. “Isn’t that what you wanted, Your _Not Yet_ Majesty?”

“I supposed that all I can hope from you. Regardless, I hope you’ve found my hospitality acceptable.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley noticed Hana suddenly dip into a curtsy, and she turned to see Aidan walking up to their group. “ _King_ Aidan,” Hana greeted.

“Lady Hana.” Aidan smiled. “I’m elated you’ve returned.”

“I’m very happy to be here.”

Aidan’s eyes moved towards Riley. “Lady Riley…”

“Hello, Your Majesty.”

“You look beautiful.” He gazed over her longingly, and he smiled softly.

Madeleine quietly cleared her throat and put a hand on his shoulder. “I believe a new delegation of visitors have just arrived. Why don’t you go greet them, _sweetheart_?”

Disappointment entered Aidan’s eyes for a moment before schooling back into his polite expression. “Of course. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Lady Hana. Lady Riley.” His eyes lingered on Riley as he took his leave.

“Now, Lady Hana, if I may have a word with Lady Riley in private?” Madeleine stared pointedly at Riley.

“Oh, of course.” Hana placed a hand on her arm. “Riley, I’ll find you afterwards.” She bowed and walked away to mingle.

Madeleine turned to Riley. “Walk with me.”

“Uh… sure!”

Madeleine led her across the grounds, into the estate, and into a private corner of the ballroom. There she turned back and gave a harsh stare. “You know, you two could be a _little_ more subtle…”

“What are you talking about?”

“You and Aidan… the long-suffering looks… the star-crossed lovers act?”

“It’s not an act. We still care for each other, you know.”

“That’s fine. Have all the feelings you want for one another. A tryst here and there can be managed… but _don’t embarrass me._ ”

“Don’t you care that he loves me?”

“No. When you’re behind closed doors, you can have his heart and whatever part of him you want. As long as _I_ have the crown. It’s practically the best thing that could’ve happened to you.”

“That’s garbage and you know it. _We_ are the ones who care about each other, so _we_ are the ones who should be seen together. How can you be with him and not care about him? That’s not right!”

“It works out just fine for me.” Madeleine sighed, shaking her head at her. “Look, I’m _trying_ to work with you.”

“Watching what you’re doing to Aidan is _not_ working with me _._ ”

“Oh please, Lady Riley. Try to develop some flexibility in your life. It’ll do you some good. Now, if you’ll excuse me… I must meet with other guests before they leave.”

“One question…” Riley fought back a grimace. “Have you seen Tariq?”

“Tariq…” Madeleine raised an eyebrow and appeared to try to recall who he was. “ _Oh!_ The scandal guy… I haven’t seen him for some time, much to my relief. I find him to be such a boor.”

“I’m sure…”

“Not that my answer suffices you, but you’ll have to live with it. Good day, Lady Riley.” She curtly walked away.

Through the mix of the incoming crowd, Bertrand and Maxwell soon found her wandering around the floor. “Hey, Riley.” Maxwell put on arm around her shoulder and took a moment to look her over. “ _Love_ the dress!”

She smiled at him. “Thanks…”

“Come with us,” Bertrand said hurriedly. “We need to talk away from the crowd.”

“Super sleuth mode activated!” Maxwell shielded his eyes and scanned the room as his brother groaned in annoyance.

“What’s up?” Riley asked, as she followed them across the ballroom away from the party goers.

Bertrand turned his irritated expression away from Maxwell to face her. “While you were fraternizing, I asked some of my sources. It turns out Tariq’s not just out of the court… he’s not even in Cordonia. Which is to say that finding him will be more difficult than originally thought.”

“Madeleine doesn’t know where Tariq is either, though who knows if she’s telling the truth.”

Maxwell shrugged. “Well, at least you _asked_.”

“So, now what?” She looked between them.

“We’re at a bit of an investigative impasse at the moment.” Bertrand rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Fortunately, the engagement tour’s next stop is Applewood Manor, the very country estate where this illicit photo was taken. I have to believe we’ll find something there. In fact, I’ve already made arrangements for us to drive ahead of the royal tour. We will depart for Applewood as soon as the festivities here end.”

“Wouldn’t want to miss a minute of _this_ , would we?” Riley looked around the ballroom, as nobles engaged in polite conversation and nibbled on appetizers. Maxwell was certainly right when he had said no party ever compared to a Beaumont Bash after there had been one. Madeleine’s party was downright _boring_.

“Certainly not,” Bertrand said, interrupting her thoughts and staring pointedly at his brother. “ _Maxwell_ has a pressing social engagement.”

Maxwell’s shoulders slumped, and an audible groan escaped him. “Lady Adelaide pressured me into a dance with her…”

Bertrand’s expression remained unsympathetic. “And we want to remain in her good graces for now. So you must do whatever it takes.”

Riley stared at him. _Does he realize that… okay, no… not going there…_

Maxwell sighed. “As long as she doesn’t get _too_ drunk this time. Last time was… awkward.”

Riley touched his arm, meeting his eyes with an amused twinkle in her eye. _I’m sure it was…_ Maxwell stared back at her, putting his hand over hers and shaking his head. She laughed and hugged him.

“We’ll find you later tonight,” Bertrand said, taking a bow as he grabbed ahold of Maxwell and left with him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley saw Hana slipping in through the door, and she waved her over. Looking out the window, she could see nobles saying their goodbyes to each other and thanking Madeleine before leaving. “Well… looks like things are starting to wind down.”

Hana nodded. “Looks like it… You know… I thought you might be able to use a distraction. I picked up some _amazing_ hot chocolate ingredients.”

“You have a special hot chocolate recipe?”

“It’s perfect for cold nights or whenever you want to sneak in a sweet tasting drink. How about we go to your room and order in? It’s got marshmallows _and_ peppermint. We can catch up on old times.”

“It’s only been a couple weeks, Hana,” Riley laughed.

“Fine, I’m just needy for your company. So…?”

“Cocoa and company. Those are irresistible moves.”

“I try. I’ll order the implements down here. Meet you up in your room!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Maxwell!”

He turned to see Aidan walking down the hall in his direction and slowed his stride so he could catch up. “Aidan…”

“Care for a short chat?”

“Thank _god_ … I’ll take any possible excuse to stay out of Adelaide’s radar for a while.”

Aidan chuckled as he nodded in understanding. “Glad I could be of assistance then.” They walked quietly down a few more hallways before reaching Aidan’s suite. After grabbing a couple drinks, the two of them made themselves comfortable outside on the balcony. “How was the flight back?”

“I slept through most of it.” Maxwell sipped his drink slowly. “Both of us had been up most of the night before. I was dreading coming home because at that point she had decided _not_ to come back, and she was up with her brother. I guess something he said changed her mind.”

“Then I owe him a debt of gratitude as well.” Aidan raised his glass to him. “Maxwell… I can’t thank you enough for going after her and bringing her back.”

He shook his head. “Aidan, I _failed_. She wasn’t going to come back.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, my friend. Perhaps her brother drove it home at the end for her, but I’m certain you had some influence on her decision overall.” Aidan took a drink. “She wouldn’t have come back otherwise.”

“Maybe…” He glanced up at him. “How’re you holding up these days?”

“As well as could be expected.” Aidan grew quiet as he stared into his glass with an unreadable expression before looking up to meet his eyes again. “I’ll never forgive myself for the way things were handled at the Coronation. I’m certain we could have spared her a lot more of this pain if I had just spoken up.”

Maxwell shook his head. “You and I both know what really happened to her… we _all_ do. But Cordonia doesn’t, and those photos are like the gospel to them. I don’t see how else things could have played out.”

“I suppose…” Aidan sighed, and then gave a small smile. “Either way, I’m happy to see she’s back now. I must admit I wasn’t expecting her to literally scale the walls to get to my balcony last night…”

So she _did_ go. Maxwell concentrated on swirling the last of the liquid in his glass as Aidan continued.

“It was so wonderful to be with her again, even if it was just a few moments… but truly a few precious moments they were. Holding her, kissing her…”

_Okay, we can stop now…_ He swallowed hard, pushing his breathing to remain steady as his forced smile remained fixed in place.

Aidan paused as an amused look crossed his face. “As concerned as I was for her safety, it was rather fascinating to see her climb back off my balcony and scale the walls again to return to her room as if it were nothing. I had offered to find someone that could help her make her way back through the estate safely and undetected, but she seemed determined to go that route.” He laughed softly and shook his head.

Maxwell smiled at the thought. “Heh… well, I think we all know Riley by now. If she’s determined to do something, she’ll find a way to do it.”

“Indeed.”

There was silence between the two of them again as they took in the view for a few moments. Maxwell’s mind began to wander as he briefly flashed back to his time with Riley in New York. _Aidan’s made it very clear how he feels about her. But what about you?_ Drake’s words from earlier repeated back to him. He bit his lip, and his leg began bouncing nervously as he stared ahead into the night. What would Aidan think if he told him how he was _really_ feeling? Now that the social season was over, this really was more of a situation where two friends happened to be in love with the same woman. It was only right that he let his friend know the truth.

“Aidan, I—” He paused, holding his drink at his lips, already feeling the courage slip away from him.

Aidan turned his attention to him. “What is it, Maxwell?”

He stared into his friend’s eyes—the eyes that were now brimming with happiness and newfound hope. Maxwell sighed inwardly. How could he even think of himself at a time like this? It was better he keep his feelings to himself. It was not like he had a chance anyway. “…I…I’m glad to see you’re happy again.”

Aidan smiled warmly. “I’m finding it’s getting a little easier these days, especially when I have good friends like you looking out for me.”

“Glad I could help.” Maxwell forced a smile as he finished his drink. “I should go…”

“Of course. Good talk, Maxwell. I’ll see you in Applewood, yes?”

“Yeah, we’ll be there. Good night, Aidan.”

“Good night, Maxwell.”

Maxwell quickly took his leave, making his way down the halls before he found himself passing by an open suite with a large group of nobles. One of the men waved him in. “Hey, come join the afterparty!”

A familiar female arm snaked around his waist as he entered the room. “Maxwell! I have your favorite drink on the ready!” He glanced down at her, taking the piña colada from her hands and downing it quickly. “Wooowwww, _someone’s_ ready to party tonight! I’ll grab you another.” She quickly left his side and he watched after her in an expressionless daze. This was the life that had been written in the cards for him. Perhaps he should just stop fighting it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hana’s face soon appeared in the doorway of Riley’s room. “Mugs and a pot are on their way!”

“I wish they were here _now_.”

“It won’t be that long. Besides, that’s why we have each other to pass the time.”

“Then we should catch up on the past couple weeks.” Riley patted a spot on the bed next to her. “Come sit with me.”

“Oh…” Hana looked thoughtful as she made herself comfortable on the bed. “I mean, I was home for a bit. It’s probably nothing compared to what you’ve been through.”

“I still want to hear about it.”

“Well, it was nice to visit my favorite restaurant back home. Their dumplings are to die for. Though, it didn’t feel quite the same without you, Drake, Aidan, and Maxwell there. I’d trade all the delicious dumplings in the world in order to eat dinners with you guys.”

“Now that you’re back, we’ll have to get everyone back together and sneak away for dinner,” Riley said with a conspiratorial wink.

Hana smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Now we’ve got that out of the way…” Riley slowly picked up one of the pillows behind her. “Pillow fight!”

“Wh—” Hana fell back as Riley hit her square in the face with the pillow, feathers flying out everywhere. “Hey!” She grabbed another pillow with a determined look in her eye and hit her back. “This is fun.”

Riley jumped up and down on the bed, hitting her again. “ _WHEEEEE!_ ” Feathers rained down on the room as she and Hana swung their pillows back and forth. Finally, there was a knock at the door, and Riley’s eyes glowed with excitement. “It’s here!”

“Cocoa!” Hana looked around the room in a look that was half horror, half amusement. “Oh my goodness. Look at the mess we’ve made!”

“You grab the stuff, I’ll clean this up.”

Hana opened the door, thanking the maid as she received the hot chocolate supplies from her. She turned to Riley after shutting the door. “Ta-da! Now, let me make you a cup of cocoa you’ll never forget.”

“Yes, please, impress me with another one of your amazing talents!”

Hana proceeded to warm some milk in an electric tea kettle and whisked in melted cocoa. “Out of all my skills, I’m most proud of this one…” She poured the smooth chocolate mix into two cups, adding in milk, cream, and a pinch of cinnamon. The sweet smell of chocolate and cinnamon permeated throughout the room.

Riley shut her eyes as she took in the scent. “Mmmm, is it done yet? It already smells _amazing_ …”

“Heh, be patient. I did say it was special… I’m making my best hot chocolate for my favorite person…” Hana topped off the drinks with marshmallows and peppermint. “And _voila_!”

Riley took a sip and her mouth immediately exploded with flavor. “Mmmmmm, it’s perfect. I could drink this all night.”

“Oh, good. I was worried the temperature might be a bit off.”

“Are you kidding? If cocoa had a perfect temperature, it would be this.”

“Thanks.”

“So, we started talking about it, but I never got the full story of what it was like to be back home.”

“Ah… right. Truth be told, it wasn’t the greatest. My parents were unhappy with my performance during the social season, and then I’d talked back to them over the phone that one time.”

“I’m sorry if that got you in trouble.” Riley frowned. “I know I egged you on.”

“No, I needed to say it. Still… They cracked down on me, revoked my access to nearly all the outside world, then made me work on all my courtly manners.”

“That sounds like what I went through with Maxwell and Bertrand. Except without all the emotional stress.”

Hana eyed her curiously. “No _emotional stress_?”

“Yeah, yeah, I knew it as soon as the words escaped my mouth… just move on…” Riley sipped at her hot cocoa.

Hana giggled. “Hmm… Maxwell would have been a fun instructor.”

“Oh, definitely. He’s less uptight than Bertrand though…”

“Bertrand reminds me of my father in certain ways…”

“Seriously? How do you even compare them? Because from what you tell me, they sound like they’re putting you through a military camp. I mean, really, do they threaten you with executions and court martials if you don’t keep in line with them?”

Hana sighed as she looked down at her cup and swirled her cocoa. “Disownment,” she said quietly.

Riley shook her head in disbelief. “That’s insane.”

“I don’t think they’d ever go through with it, but even to hear them talk about it…” Hana frowned sadly. “You can see why I’m glad to be back here and not at home.”

“I just can’t believe they treat you this way.”

“Well… it’s complicated…”

“It shouldn’t be complicated it they’re this bad to you.”

“They care about me and want me to succeed. They’ve provided everything to me without question, and I owe them for pushing me to be who I am today.”

“But they go too far.”

“I know… but I can’t help loving them still. They’re the only family I have.”

“I think it’s just sad that your parents refuse to appreciate how amazing you are.”

Hana’s shoulders slumped slightly. “If I’m so amazing, I’d attract all the good matches like Aidan. ‘Producing results’ as they call it.”

“Hana, look at me…” Riley put her hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye. “You are so much _more_ than someone to marry off for prestige!”

Hana gave her a half-hearted smile. “Thanks…”

“Who _cares_ if you don’t have a match? You have yourself and all your amazing talents.”

Her smile finally grew wider and the sparkle came back to her eyes. “And I have you, Drake, Aidan, and Maxwell?”

“Of course you do.”

Hana swished around what remained of the hot chocolate in her cup for a moment, then looked back up at Riley. “Well, it’s about time I head out with the rest of the court. I’m so glad we could have this time together. I always thought it would be wonderful to have a friend… and it is.”

Riley reached over and hugged her tightly. “You’re amazing yourself. I’m sure we’ll get lots more time like this in the next few weeks. Next time I’ll have to ask what other culinary masterpieces you can share.”

“There’s a few more.” Hana wrapped her arms around her, returning her embrace. “I’ll see you at the next stop, okay?”

“Absolutely.” She waved as Hana took her leave and turned to find some comfortable clothes to change into. A soft knock made her turn her head, and she found Maxwell leaning against the doorway. “Hey.”

“Okay if I come in?”

“Of course. You know you’re always welcome.”

Maxwell glanced nervously down the hall and quickly walked in, shutting the door. “Thanks…”

“Had enough of getting in her _good graces_?” She shot him a teasing wink. “Is that what you nobles are calling it now?”

“I’m only putting up with this because you’re giving me a place to hide right now.” He shook his head as he made himself comfortable on a nearby chair.

“How do you know I didn’t invite her over for girl’s night?”

“The fact that you adore me and would never do such a _horrible_ thing to your bestie…” He smiled innocently.

“Uh huh… so tell me, _bestie_ … why _is_ she so determined for a piece of you?”

“Well, just _look_ at me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Awww yeahhhh…” Maxwell did a small shimmy in his chair, then paused as Riley raised an eyebrow, trying to keep a straight face. “You know I’m _amazing_. Admit it.”

“…No.”

He stood up and slowly shimmied over to her. “Come on, Riley… I could do this all night, you know…”

She studied his expression as he spoke, noting the strong, unmistakable scent of piña colada floating from his mouth. “Maxwell, are you _drunk?_ ”

He laughed and sat down beside her. “I miiiiiight have had a few obligatory drinks…”

“Oh god.” She blinked as she stared at him. “You _did_ sleep with her.”

His jaw dropped. “What?! _No!_ ” He looked away from her, shaking his head furiously and rubbing his forehead as if to wipe his mind from the mental imagery. “ _God_ , no.”

“Maxwell…” She smiled softly, her eyes filling with concern as her hand reached over to rub the back of his shoulders. “Is everything okay?”

His head shot up. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” He laughed somewhat nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided her gaze. “I mean, we’re going to blow this conspiracy out of the water and clear your name. And then my best friend is going to get married to my other best friend… and they’re gonna live happily…” His face turned towards hers, just inches away, as his breath slowed and his voice grew softer. “…ever… after…”

They stared at each other in silence for several moments. Maxwell’s phone began buzzing in his pocket, breaking his stare as he glanced down to see the message. “I, um… need to take this…” he said quietly, standing up and looking back down at her. “Good night, Riley…”

She looked back at him, forcing a smile. “Good night…”

As he left the room and the door shut behind him, he looked back down at his phone to read the message again.

**Daniel:** I need to talk to you… Whatever you do, please don’t say anything to Riley.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riley stepped outside Madeleine’s country estate, walking slowly along the garden paths that were dimly lit by the moonlight and soft outdoor lighting. She breathed in the fresh night air, closing her eyes to clear her mind right before she felt herself bump into something… or rather _someone._ “Mason…?” Drake caught her by the shoulders to keep her from losing her balance.

“Drake?” She looked up at him in surprise, as he smirked at her and dropped his arms back down to his side. “Hey! I didn’t know you were back at court.”

“Of course I came back.”

“Have you been avoiding me or something?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Never. I just didn’t want to interrupt while you were in there mingling with all the nobles.”

“Believe me, with most of those conversations, I’d welcome an interruption or two.”

“Honestly, it looked like you were holding your own just fine, but point taken.”

“I’m really glad to see you, Drake…”

“Easy there.”

“Are you honestly going to tell me you didn’t miss me?”

“I didn’t say _that_.”

“So what are you saying?”

He let out a sigh of exasperation before his lips curled into a slight smile. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, okay? Happy now?”

“Very.” She beamed triumphantly.

He shook his head and looked at her for a long moment, smiling affectionately at her. “It’s good to see you smile. After everything that happened… I know it must’ve been terrible for you. If there’s anything I can do to help, I want to do it.”

Riley moved forward and hugged him tightly. “Drake… thank you.”

He let out a long sigh and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “You know I care about your happiness, Mason… and Aidan’s too. It makes me furious that this is happening to the two of you. So just know… I’m here for you.”

“When I catch whoever’s responsible for this…”

He pulled back to meet her angry gaze. “Believe me, they’ll have a lot to answer to.”

“I don’t even know how many people are involved.”

“Don’t get discouraged. You got me, Maxwell, Bertrand, and Hana helping you, not to mention Aidan. I know it might not have seemed like it right after the ball…”

“Well…” She frowned, looking at him sadly. “It was strange that I didn’t hear from anyone. It just seemed like everyone abandoned me.”

“I’m sorry… _Who_ decided to end up going back to New York even though we sent someone to bring her back here?” Drake raised an eyebrow at her. “Look… I know it may have looked that way on our part, but Aidan said we had to be careful. He said it was the only way to keep you safe.”

“Would it still have killed you to at least text me?”

“No, but according to Aidan, it might’ve killed _you_. He takes your safety very seriously. We all do. You should’ve been with us that night, after the Coronation. Then you wouldn’t have any doubts.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.”

“Anytime.” He studied her face. “You look like you could use some cheering up.” He looked over at the fire pit across the courtyard and nodded in its direction. “Hey, that would be perfect for making some s’mores. I bet I can raid the kitchen for supplies. I know you probably ate during the party, but if you want some dessert… you can’t beat homemade s’mores. I’ll make you the best s’mores of your life and tell you all about everything you missed.”

“You’re lucky I love s’mores.”

“Glad to hear it, Mason. Wait over by the fire pit. I’ll be right back.” He headed off to the estate, while Riley walked towards the courtyard. After she waited a few minutes by the fire pit, Drake returned with supplies in hand. “I see you’re warming up by the fire.”

“Of course.” She shot him a sarcastic grin. “Now, where are the goods?”

“Patience, Mason, patience…” He pulled out a bag that held sticks, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate. “Everything we need for a perfect night by the fire… and a perfectly innocent reason for us to be out here together.”

“And not discussing courtly intrigue.”

“Exactly. Ready?” Drake watched her momentarily as she grabbed a stick and stuffed a marshmallow onto it. As she raised it and held it up to the fire, he shook his head. “You’re going to burn it if you tilt it like that.”

“Oh? Are you the s’mores expert?”

“Damn right. I’ve made hundreds of these… My family and I used to go camping when I was a kid. I practically lived off s’mores.”

“I see… then shower me with your wisdom on how to make the perfect s’more.” She gave him an amused smile.

“Ha ha.” He rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face betrayed him. “I highly recommend resisting the temptation to light it on fire. While momentarily satisfying, you almost always end up with a burned marshmallow.”

“S’mores according to Drake.”

“Write it down. This is pure wisdom I’m passing on to you.”

Riley flipped her marshmallow over to cook the other side. “Tell me more about when you were little.”

“You know how I like to get away from all the pomp of the palace? Well, one of those outlets was when I’d go camping with my dad. We’d disappear into the wilderness for days… Though the first time we went camping was a disaster. After trekking through the woods for hours, neither of us could set up the tent correctly, and we had forgotten to pack our dinners. So we spent that night huddled under the stars by a small fire with nothing to eat but s’mores. But despite all that, we loved it. It was the one time he could really relax… when he didn’t have to worry about the King and his family, and he could just enjoy some time with us.”

“That sounds wonderful… and simple.”

“The best things in life usually are, Mason.” For a moment, the two of them watched their marshmallows cooking. “Looks like it’s time.” They pulled their marshmallow out of the fire, and Drake put the s’mores together. He handed one over to her. “M’lady.”

She took a big bite of her s’more, savoring the sweet combo of the gooey marshmallow and melted chocolate. “Delicious.”

“I’m glad I didn’t disappoint.”

For a moment, the two of them munched on the s’mores together. “So you were going to tell me about what happened when I was dragged out of the Coronation?”

“Yeah. Let’s see…” He furrowed his brow, recalling the memory. “…By the time I escaped security, your car was driving away. I ran after it… but I couldn’t get any closer than that.”

“Aw… Drake… I didn’t know you did that.”

“Yeah, for all the good it did, anyway. And then I headed back to the palace to learn what the others saw… I found Aidan and Hana in your room.” He recounted to her the details of their conversation. “…And that’s pretty much how it went down.”

“Wow… I can’t believe Aidan was capable of getting so angry…”

“Yeah, I’ve never seen him like that before. It takes a lot to make him lose control.”

“It sounds like you were able to keep your cool.”

“One of us had to.”

“I never knew that everyone cared so much about me.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Mason. We’ve all grown kind of fond of you.” He reached over and ruffled her hair.

She laughed and pushed his hand away. “Heh. So you were worried about me, huh?”

“Honestly? I still am. Nobles have been _assassinated_ in Cordonia, even those with a full security detail. I don’t know what any of us would do if something like that happened to you.” A sorrowful look entered his eyes, and he suddenly focused on eating his s’more.

She took another bite of her s’more, chewing thoughtfully. “Well… thank you for telling me.”

“Of course. You deserve to know. And… I know none of your friends would want you thinking that we’d just forgotten about you. I…” He looked back over at her sadly. “I know this must’ve been bad for you. I’m sorry.”

She smiled at him reassuringly and patted his arm. “Drake… I’m tougher than I look.”

“I know. You’re tougher than I am.”

“Damn right I am.”

“You’re gonna get through this, Mason. And you’re going to get the magical ever after that you deserve.” He sighed, finishing his s’more before glancing back at her meaningfully. “Should I ask about New York?”

An involuntary groan escaped her. “How did I know that was going to come up?”

Drake passed her another marshmallow. “Sounds like we’re going to need more s’mores.”

Riley took the marshmallow and stuffed it onto her stick before looking back at him. “I went home to escape it all, Drake… and I still couldn’t get away…” She shook her head as she lowered the stick over the fire.

“You _really_ think we were just going to let you get away, Mason? Hell, if Maxwell really did fail to bring you back, I would have gone over there to get you myself.”

“Oh really?” She side-glanced him. “And what is your stake in this?” She grimaced as her marshmallow burst into flames. “Ugh…”

“Besides the fact that you’re one of the best friends I have around here?” He handed her a fresh marshmallow.

“You just called me your friend again…” She smiled teasingly at him.

“Uh huh. Don’t let it go to your head.” He smirked. “Not to sound like a broken record, but Aidan. I’m looking out for Aidan, as always. And when I saw the look on his face when you returned…” He looked at her earnestly.

“I know…” She was quiet for a moment. “But I’m still in the same boat…”

“Maxwell?”

She nodded, focusing on her marshmallow.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well Mason, I’m sure by now you know how he feels about you.”

“That’s just it, Drake. I _don’t_. He is so back and forth with me right now…” She shot a glare at him. “By the way, you weren’t so helpful back at the Coronation.”

He reached a hand out for her stick and began assembling the s’mores. “I was worried about you, okay? Not that it makes it right. I just didn’t think he’d ever…” He paused as he handed her a s’more. “Well… it’s just different, let’s put it that way.”

“I _suppose_ I can forgive you…” She licked some stray chocolate off her finger before casting a derisive glance his way.

“So generous.” He rolled his eyes as he bit into his s’more.

“It worked itself out in the end, I guess. Maxwell got to bond with my brothers, and we worked out the fight… the only problem is—”

“He still won’t give in.” Drake raised an eyebrow as she nodded, and he looked down and sighed. “From what I see, Mason… he wants you. He wants you _really_ bad. It’s not that hard to see when he looks at you. The timing probably sucks right now though.”

“What do you mean?”

“The fact that he brought you here _for_ Aidan and now he’s having feelings he thinks he shouldn’t have… Then there’s this whole conspiracy… people plotting against you and Aidan…” He shook his head as he took another bite. “Maxwell… he sees himself competing against _Aidan._ And with Aidan engaged with now, Maxwell’s the only available _option_ … your last resort. Think about how that all looks for a moment. If you decide you wanted him over Aidan… I’m not sure if he would believe it.”

“Why is that so hard to believe?”

“You didn’t grow up the way we did, Mason. When we were kids, _Aidan_ was the one that everyone adored. When we were older, he was the one the noble girls chased after. I settled into my role as the wallflower, and Maxwell discovered his role as a party guy. No one was ever actually _interested_ in him beyond his body and having their picture taken with him to get their fifteen minutes of fame for hanging on the arm of a noble. It literally became second nature to him to just smile and show them a good time.”

Riley just stared at him in shocked silence.

“I honestly think it scares him to believe that _anyone_ could be interested in him, especially someone like _you_ , Mason.”

“Why _not_ me?”

“Think about it. Aidan is _literally_ offering you an entire kingdom. The Beaumonts are financially broke, and Maxwell knows he can’t compete with that.”

“…I don’t care about them because of wealth or status, Drake…”

“Trust me, I know. I’m just telling you how it is in the noble world… relationships are all about wealth and status. Making a match on love alone is rare.” He finished his s’more and looked at her thoughtfully. “And speaking of rare… are you aware that he’s never actually been in love before until you came along?”

“It came up in conversation… but the subject got changed pretty fast.”

“Not surprising. I’m pretty sure it’s still way over his head.”

She side-glanced him, shooting him a reproachful look. “You really don’t have a lot of faith in your friend, do you, Drake?”

Drake gave her a long look back. “I’m just telling you what I know…” He pulled a marshmallow out the bag and popped it into his mouth, staring into the fire before speaking again. “But… you’re wrong about not having faith in him. Do I believe this thing is way over his head right now? Just as sure as I’ll be having my nightly shot of whiskey tonight.” He shot her a smirk. “Do I believe he can work through it? Of course, I do. And he has all the best support around him if he needs it.” He reached out and lightly pushed against her shoulder. “Just like you do, Mason.”

She sighed as she finally finished her s’more. “What should I do, Drake? I’m just so confused at this point…”

“Wish I could tell you, Mason… Both Aidan and Maxwell are my friends, and it’s not my call to tell you who to choose.”

“Maybe I _should_ choose Aidan… I should just face it. He’s been honest with his feelings about me from the very start…”

“I guess…” Drake shrugged. “And we both know that you’d make a hell of a better queen than Madeleine. Cordonia deserves you. _Aidan_ deserves you.” His hand traced across his jawline contemplatively. “But then again… so does Maxwell. To be fair, he has one hell of a reason to hold back from you.”

“Ugh, Drake, don’t say that…” Riley covered her face with her hands with a groan. “This isn’t helping.”

“Hell, I’m sorry, Mason… I don’t mean to keep making things worse.” Drake shook his head and looked pensive for a moment. “I know we’ve talked about this before, but have you given some more thought to telling Aidan about Maxwell? Seems things are getting serious enough that he should at least know that someone else is in the picture.”

Riley stared into the fire as she stood up to pace back and forth.

“You taking stress dancing tips from Maxwell?” Drake gave her an amused grin before standing up and walking over to her. “C’mere, Mason…” He folded her into a hug.

She exhaled slowly as she rested against him. “I guess you have a point… but I really don’t know how I would tell him… not with everything he’s dealing with right now. How can I add further worry and stress on him like that?”

“He has a right to know, Mason…”

“I know, but I—”

“Riley!” Maxwell waved from across the courtyard and began jogging toward them. Drake immediately let go of Riley and took a step back from her. Maxwell looked curiously at the two of them for a moment, his expression unreadable, before focusing back on Riley. “Hey, there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Is it time to go?”

“Yeah… we’re all packed and ready, and you know how Bertrand gets when we’re running late.”

Drake patted her shoulder. “No sense letting me keep you.”

“We can give you a ride, Drake,” Maxwell offered. “The limo has plenty of space.”

“No thanks,” Drake said, rolling his eyes. “I might die if I spend several hours in a car with you.”

Riley looked at him. “See you around?”

“Sure thing, Mason.”

“It’s road trip time!” Maxwell led her to the limo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After several hours of traveling across the Cordonian countryside with Maxwell and Bertrand, Riley found herself arriving at Applewood manor late in the night. “We’re here!” Maxwell called out, rousing her awake.

Riley slowly blinked her eyes open. “So… what exactly are we looking for at the manor?”

“Hidden levers, secret passageways, loose-lipped staff…” Bertrand listed off. “Anything that may give us a lead.”

“Get ready to do your best Sherlock Holmes impression, Riley…” Maxwell said, placing his finger on top of his mouth to give the appearance of a mustache.

“Elementary, my dear Maxwell!” she responded in a fake English accent.

“ _Focus_ , people,” Bertrand interrupted, clearly annoyed. “It’ll take more than cute catch-phrases to find us a lead…”

Maxwell pulled a magnifying glass from his bag. Of course, he would randomly have something like that. “Alright gang, let’s split up and search for clues!”

Bertrand stared at him, unimpressed. “While I share your eagerness to examine the place, we should store our luggage in our rooms…”

“And then we search for clues?” Riley asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ve got my magnifying glass!” Maxwell waved it proudly in the air as Bertrand merely raised his giant eyebrow in response.

The three of them stepped out of the limo, where a maid walked up to greet them. “Oh—” Her face immediately lit up with recognition, and she tried to hide the fear and suspicion in her eyes before clearing her throat. “Errr… welcome back to Applewood Manor, My Lords and Lady! Please, let me grab your bags and escort you to your room!”

Bertrand nodded. “Indeed. This way.” He led the maid to the trunk where she unloaded the bags.

Maxwell leaned toward Riley and whispered, “ _Pssttt. I recognize her. That’s the same maid who helped us last time. Maybe she knows something._ ”

“ _Her?_ ”

“ _The staff mustn’t have changed since the social season._ ”

“ _We have to question her._ ”

“ _My thoughts exactly. Ohh, do you want to be a good cop or a bad cop? I’ve seen this on TV._ ”

Straining under the weight of all the luggage, the maid led them towards the manor. “Oof!” Unable to support the weight, the maid dropped a couple suitcases. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry about that. Let me pick these right back up for you.”

Riley rushed over to assist her. “Here, let me help you with those.”

The maid looked at her in surprise. “Oh… thank you. Not many would help a maid out.”

“I’m not like most people.” Riley picked up some bags, and Maxwell walked over to join her. Together, the two of them carried over half the luggage for the maid.

The maid smiled gratefully. “Right this way, please.” She led them towards the manor. “I hope you all had a pleasant journey here. The roads can be bumpy at times.”

“It was acceptable,” Bertrand replied, disinterested in the conversation.

“Why don’t you tell us how your day has been?” Riley asked.

“ _My_ day?” the maid asked in astonishment.

“Yeah,” Maxwell chimed in. “Tell us how you’re doing.”

“Well, it’s been a bit hectic the past few days with preparations for the arrivals, but the worst of it has passed.”

“That’s good.” Riley smiled down at her. “You looking forward to anything after tonight?”

“When we’ve admitted everyone to their rooms, we’re celebrating a coworker’s birthday!”

“Ooooh, I hope it comes with cake!” Maxwell grinned.

“The question isn’t ‘will there be cake’, but ‘will there be enough cake for thirds’.”

“Yessssss! That’s how it should always be!”

They stopped outside of Bertrand and Maxwell’s room, and Maxwell helped the maid place their bags inside. “Your room, My Lords,” she said.

“Thank you kindly,” Bertrand replied politely.

“See you soon for some investigating, Riley,” Maxwell said with a wave.

“Ahem… investigating the evening buffet!” Bertrand corrected, clearing his throat loudly.

“Ah, right. The buffet.”

Once Maxwell and Bertrand shut their door, the maid led Riley further down the hall to her room. “Here we are, My Lady.”

For a moment, Riley glanced around the room with an eerie chill climbing down her spine. Was this someone’s idea of a sick joke? It was the same room she had stayed in the last time she was here. It had since been cleaned, and the vase she had shattered had since been replaced with an exact replica. For a split second, she could still see Drake grappling on the floor with Tariq after he had discovered the scene. The maid behind her quietly cleared her throat, interrupting her thoughts, and Riley helped her set down the luggage. She reached into her purse and handed the maid several bills.

The maid stared down at the stack of bills in shock. “Oh, wow…”

Riley smiled. “I’ve been a waitress before. A generous tip can make you feel good.”

“You know… you’re a lot nicer than I thought you’d be.” A regretful expression overcame her face. “You didn’t deserve to get pranked like that…”

“Pranked?”

“You don’t know?” The maid looked surprised. “I’m sorry. It’s just… You’ve been so kind to me. There’s something I need to tell you. I know who you are and what happened last time you stayed at Applewood.” She paused for a moment, her face filling with regret. “An-And I played a part in it…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Ah, home sweet home…”

Carl stared at the dark, looming fortress that lay ahead in the middle of nowhere. The full moon cast an eerie iridescent glow upon the darkened towers, which looked as if no one had inhabited them in years. Dried moss and withered vines climbed the walls, further accentuating the idea. “Nice fixer-upper.”

“Heh. Aesthetics may have missed the list of priorities when we sought out a main stake out point.” Claudius flashed a cynical grin.

“Clearly. Could’ve at least gone with a moat around the place and filled it with piranhas.”

“Didn’t take you for a fairy tale reader, Bennett.”

“And you’re right. It’s an unfortunate side effect of growing up with a sister who was obsessed with the damned things.”

“And just look at her now!”

“Heh. Sure not any fairy tale story I’ve ever heard her fixate on.”

“Funny how life works, isn’t it?” Claudius nodded towards the gloomy castle. “Shall we?”

The two of them entered through an obscure entrance on the side of one of the towers. Claudius led him through hallway after hallway, and Carl took in every detail of his surroundings. The entire place was more like a dungeon than a castle. The stone walls were dimly lit by wall torches, which cast dark, juddering shadows down in their path. They occasionally saw some of the other mercenaries scattered around. Not very social, it seemed. They simply grunted in response as Claudius greeted them in passing.

“Don’t seem like you got much of a team around here. You do realize those royals have entire armies at their disposal, right?”

“Got it covered. I’d say at least eighty percent of us are out in the cities and a select few are mingling in the palace events gathering intel. We’ll be ready to strike when the time is right.” They reached the far north side of the keep, and Claudius paused at one of the doors, opening it up. “Your accommodations for however long this takes…”

Carl scanned the room warily, unable to believe this area belonged to the same place that he was in. It was a lot more colorful compared to the dismal display that he had just walked through. Ornately decorated furniture lined the walls, though the dust told him no one had used it in years. He assumed the place had once been inhabited by ancient warriors by the look of the intricate designs showing through. He glanced down at the floor in front of him and kicked away a partially-eaten carcass of a dead rat from the doorway. “I see the neighbors left me a housewarming gift.”

Claudius chuckled. “Sorry, the maid’s on vacation…”

“Hadn’t noticed.” Carl threw his bag onto the bed and stepped back quickly as a small cloud of dust immediately rose. His ears suddenly picked up on footsteps approaching the room from the hallway, and he turned just as a very unwelcome familiar face appeared in the doorway.

“Ah, Tanner, there you are.” Claudius looked between the two men. “I believe you two know each other.”

“Not something I brag about.” Carl stared impassively at the equally stonefaced man who met his stare, unflinching.

“Still the same stubborn ass as always, aren’t you, Bennett?” Tanner retorted.

“Ladies, ladies…” Claudius looked between them with an amused smirk. “I’m sure we can set aside our differences for the cause, yes? After all, we are all on the same team.”

“I won’t apologize for my actions if he doesn’t keep his distance.”

“That’s right. Throw another sucker punch at me, Bennett. I _dare_ you.”

“Just like old times, yeah?” Claudius threw his head back and laughed loudly. “Well, get used to each other again because you two have been paired up.”

Carl shot another glare at Tanner, who mumbled something under his breath.

“Now follow me. I’ll take you to meet Anton. Tanner, care to join us?”

Carl glanced at Tanner. A familiar expression flashed across his face, but it quickly disappeared as he nodded solemnly. He knew that look. Even after all these years without speaking to him. Tanner was definitely in the same frame of mind that he was. There was something not right going on behind Claudius’ smiling act. He begrudgingly fell in step with him as they followed Claudius through another maze of hallways and down two floors into another area of the keep. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Tanner glancing over at him, and he turned his head to return his stare. They looked at each other quietly for a moment before Carl tore his gaze away to focus on the path ahead.

They finally entered a room that had a group of TV monitors lining the wall with multiple plans, blueprints, and notes attached nearby. A chalkboard and conference table stood in the middle of the room with papers scattered about. Standing by one of the monitors was a short man with dark hair, dressed in a black suit. Claudius stopped short of him to introduce them. “Carl Bennett, Anton Severus.”

_Got it… not in a fairy tale. I’ve entered some warped alternate universe and have been sucked into the world of Harry Potter…_

“Yes… we’ve been expecting you…” Anton turned, almost dramatically, and broke out into an impossibly large grin.

Eesh… that smile was unnerving. Carl fought back a grimace and simply raised an eyebrow at him. “Didn’t realize there was a VIP list.” _If Pettigrew and the Joker had a child…_

“But of course!” The alarming smile only grew. “Any friends of Claudius are friends of mine!”

“Claudius is on thin ice right now.”

“And only a friend would be that honest, no?”

“Cute. Are we just going to have tea or actually talk about what you’ve brought us halfway around the world to do?”

“And you told me this one had a sense of humor, Claudius…” Anton flashed him a look of derision.

Claudius looked up from his seat and smirked. “That’s if he likes you. I believe I also told you he doesn’t like to waste time… you’re not helping your chances.”

Anton clapped Carl on the shoulder and drew back his hand back immediately as Carl glowered down at him. “Hey, you got boundaries, I respect that! Now, let me catch you up…” He led him over to the wall of plans and notations. “We’re over here in the first phase of Operation Viper…”

_And welcome to House Slytherin, Carl…_ His head snapped towards Anton at his next words.

“I’ll be working undercover in close proximity with Lady Riley as her media advisor…”

“And you better damn well make sure nothing happens to her.”

The _smile_. Eventually the man was going to get punched. “Is there any other reason to remain at her side? Her return to Cordonia is critical, and everyone will want a piece of her. Trust me… she’s in good hands.”

Carl didn’t answer him as he looked back over the mess of notations along the way. He didn’t like the look in that man’s eyes any more than he could handle that moronic grin of his. But he had nothing to go on at this point, so playing along was his only option. His eyes fell on an obscure, unfinished notation that had been scribbled out on what looked like a sketching of the palace ballroom. He made a mental note to remember his way back to this room and check back as soon as he was able.

A bubbling ring sounded off, shattering the quiet, and they all turned their heads towards the monitors where the sounds emitted. Anton stepped up to the console and pressed a button, pulling up a darkened screen of an ominous-looking man wearing a mask over his eyes. “Greetings, Dark Crow!”

The masked man scowled. “I _told_ you to stop referring to me by that ridiculous name.”

Anton just laughed mockingly at him. “And yet it suits you _so_ well. How can we be of service?”

_That voice… that accent…_ Carl narrowed his eyes as he listened to the man speak. There was something oddly familiar in the way he spoke, though he was sure he’d never met the man before.

“Dark Crow” looked past Anton and stared disapprovingly at Carl and Tanner standing in the room behind him. “I thought I told you never to have anyone else in the room when we communicate. This is sensitive information!”

“They were just leaving, weren’t you, gentlemen?” There goes that smile again…

“Yes, sir.” Tanner nodded and led the way out of the room.

Carl slowly followed suit. _These guys are as slick as they come._ He glanced at Tanner as the two of them walked down the dimmed hallways back toward their respective rooms. “Dark _Crow_? You kidding me?”

Tanner chuckled for the first time since they had reunited and looked back at him. “There’s quite the amusing story behind that one.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m up for a laugh.”

“Don’t know the man’s name, but he’s the main guy funding this whole thing. We all traveled out to Paris to meet him a couple weeks ago, because for some reason, he’s not a fan of setting foot in Cordonia…”

“Still not laughing.”

“I’m getting there. Anyhow, so we’re all in formation, and the old guy steps out of his limo, looking like phantom of the opera or some shit…”

“Is there some unspoken mask fetish here?”

“I knew you’d catch on to that.” Tanner shook his head, laughing quietly. “You should’ve seen it. If you’d have been there, I would have half expected you to tell him to start breaking out into song.”

“Heh. Won’t argue with you there…”

“So phantom man comes waltzing over to us, when all of a sudden, this big black crow comes swooping down out of nowhere, screeching its head off and flying right towards him. Now to all of us, it’s just a damned bird, right? Not to him.” Tanner began to laugh harder at the memory. “My god, the man literally screamed in pitches I never knew existed and tried to fight it off with a peacock feather that he found lying on the ground.”

Carl snorted. “ _What?!”_

“You can’t make this shit up, man… That was the first thing his flailing arms were able to grab, and he had no idea what he was fighting the damned thing with until after a few swings. By then, all of us were falling over each other in tears. The boss has never let him live this down, and he has since been given the code name _Dark Crow_ in his honor.”

“Wow, that’s just…” Carl let out a small laugh and shook his head. “…I have no words for something _that_ pathetic.”

The two of them reached their adjoining rooms, and Tanner glanced over at him. “Have a good sleep, brother.”

Carl’s smile faded, and he turned to glare at him. “Just because we’re stuck together and made small talk doesn’t mean we’re brothers.”

“True.” Tanner gave him a long look. “But look around you, Bennett. Like it or not, you’ll come to learn that I’m the best friend you’ve got here.”

“Then I guess I’m alone, aren’t I?” Carl disappeared into his room, shutting the door coldly behind him.

**_Meanwhile…_ **

Anton opened a drawer in the desk below the monitors, pulling out a pair of fake eyeglasses. He slowly cleaned the lenses with a cloth. “Americans are so… _easy_ to manipulate, wouldn’t you say?” He held the eyeglasses up to the light and then brought them back down again to clean off a stray spot.

“Easiest recruitment assignment I’ve taken in years.” Claudius returned his smile with a sinister one of his own. “All it took was a few convincing lies.”

“That Carl fellow… he’s the one attached to Lady Riley, yes?”

“Yes… quite protective of her, in fact. I managed to convince him it was part of our mission to keep her safe.” He laughed spitefully. “What a fool.”

“Pity. I found his demeanor to be quite amusing. Shame he and his American partner will be the first to die once this mission is overwith.” Satisfied, Anton put on the fake pair of eyeglasses and flashed a malevolent smile at himself in a nearby mirror. “Lady Riley, you’re just-in time to meet your new press secretary.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely readers! Sorry for the long wait between chapters. School has started back up, and I have also discovered the wonderful world of "editing" (for anyone who has followed my Instagram and seen my many Maxwell image edits. :) I will continue to try to update as often as I can, but I definitely don't want to short out on the details, so bear with me. Thank you all for your kind comments and for continuing to read this story. :-D


End file.
